The authority is intensifying its oversight of cyanide storage facilities following a tragic incident resulting in six fatalities due to cyanide poisoning. The Ministry of Industry, through the Department of Industrial Works, is taking stringent measures to prevent such hazardous material incidents.
Pimphattra Wichaikul, Minister of Industry, has directed the Department of Industrial Works to continuously monitor cyanide storage facilities and report on the actual usage of the substance. The Department of Industrial Works emphasized the strict regulation of cyanide usage, ensuring it adheres strictly to registered purposes. Violations will incur the maximum legal penalties.
The Ministry of Industry, along with five other agencies, is responsible for overseeing hazardous materials under the 1992 Hazardous Substances Act and its amendments. The Department of Industrial Works oversees substances, which are used in industrial processes, including those regulated under international conventions. This includes 615 items across 26 categories.
Potassium cyanide, classified as a type-3 hazardous substance, falls under the Department’s jurisdiction. Entities wishing to import or produce it must register and specify the intended use clearly to officials, obtaining approval before proceeding. Usage must strictly follow the registered purposes.
Minister Pimphattra highlighted that potassium cyanide is utilized in various applications such as metal cleaning, electroplating, gold and silver extraction, and laboratory analysis. Storage sites for potassium cyanide are inspected each time a permit is requested to ensure safety and compliance with laws and technical standards. Regular annual inspections are conducted to prevent impacts on individuals, property, and the environment. Additionally, entities possessing 100 kilograms or more of potassium cyanide within six months must report usage details, remaining quantities, and distribution to facilitate tracking and oversight. (NNT)
