The famous German chemical giant BASF said that the world's largest MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) project to be built in Chongqing will be launched this year. The project has been suspended for two years due to environmental disputes.

BASF's board member Martin Brudermueller, who is in charge of the Asia-Pacific region, revealed this news to a reporter on February 24 local time in Germany. He expressed that BASF is confident that the project will start during the year and plans to achieve commercial production in 2014.

In 2007, BASF and Chongqing local governments and other relevant agencies signed an agreement to build the world's largest MDI production base in Changshou District, Chongqing City, with at least 8 billion yuan in investment, including the construction of an annual output of 400,000 tons of nitrobenzene and 300,000 tons of aniline. 400,000 tons of crude MDI, 400,000 tons of MDI separation production equipment, originally planned to start in 2010, put into production in 2012.

As far as the production process is concerned, there is a risk that the project will produce toxic substances such as aniline, phosgene, and nitrobenzene. Both phosgene and aniline are highly toxic, phosgene can pollute the air, and aniline can contaminate the water.

The world-famous Bhopal incident in India was caused by the leakage of phosgene and other toxic gases, causing more than 2,500 deaths overnight. In 2008, the phoenix leak in Qiqihar, the second largest city in Heilongjiang Province, caused 18 casualties.

The site of the BASF Chongqing MDI project is densely populated, close to the Yangtze River, and is located in the hinterland of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The Three Gorges Reservoir is the lifeline of the Three Gorges Project, an ecological barrier in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and a strategic reservoir for China’s water resources.

Launching the world's largest MDI project next to the national “water tank” has caused great controversy in Chinese civil and government sectors. The relevant functional departments of the Chinese government had discussed with BASF and the debate was fierce.

In terms of the phosgene storage capacity of the project, BASF’s results are no more than three tons per year, and China's safety supervision department has calculated several times that figure. How much phosgene will affect the relocation radius of residents around the MDI plant, according to the results calculated by China's safety supervision department, the scope of relocation needs to be greatly expanded.

He said that he understands the government’s security concerns very much. In 2009 and 2010, the relevant functional departments of the Chinese government had discussed security issues with them several times. He said that the Chongqing MDI project is the lowest in terms of phosgene stock in all MDI projects of BASF. "This is because BASF continuously improves its production process. The Chongqing MDI project adopts the most advanced measures of the company."

He emphasized that in the past two years, BASF and China's environmental protection agencies have already conducted very detailed discussions, including protection measures during production, recycling of toxic and hazardous substances, and other issues. The company will cooperate with the Zurich company for the treatment of production sewage. "In terms of phosgene, we have adopted multi-layered protection and protection measures will be the most advanced in the world."

Whether or not such a chemical project should be laid out next to a large reservoir, Ms Lean pointed to the German plant of the Ludwig Port in Germany. In Ludwigshafen, BASF did the same MDI project. It is close to the Rhine and the Rhine is The main source of water in Europe. "We know what to do, and there are other production sites that have the same safety production experience."

Bo Lele said that the location of the Chongqing MDI project is still seven kilometers away from the Yangtze River. The terrain is relatively high and it is not easy to be flooded. Chongqing is also far from the earthquake area and the project will be very safe.

As regards the location of Chongqing, he said that it was market demand that caused BASF to consider both the environmental protection and the late transportation of the product. Chongqing is located in the logistics hub of the border area of ​​China's central and western regions. Products can be quickly shipped to multiple regions, and Chongqing's own economic growth also increases the demand for products year by year.

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