The explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4th caused by 2.750 tons of ammonium nitrate is a sad and important reminder of the negative consequences of inappropriate storage and management of hazardous elements. Given this fact the toll reached 220 deaths, more than 5.000 people were injured and at least 300.000 homeless.

In Chile, the Sanitary Regulation Hazardous Waste Management (DS148) indicates that all locations destined to the storage of hazardous waste (RESPEL) must have certain specific security standards with the respective Sanitary Authorization for installation. In addition, the storage of RESPEL must not exceed a 6 month period, except for a few cases justified by the Sanitary Authority may request an extension for the storage period with the proper technical report.

It is important to point out that to obtain a RESPEL storage permit the companies must comply with certain specific conditions, as to have a depot that is continuous, impermeable, structural and chemically resistant to waste; the storage facility must have a roofing system to protect it from environmental conditions like humidity, temperature and solar radiation; it must be properly sign-posted according to the Chilean Norm NCh 2. 190 of 93; and have a retention capacity for runoff or spillage greater than or equal to 20% of the total volume of the containers that are in storage.

The good news is that, as an option for the companies that do not have this infrastructure, Hidronor offers a safe solution since it has three types of authorized warehouses for the temporary storage of waste allowing the company to store products and waste with varied characteristics of hazards, such as inflammability, waste with different levels of toxicity and corrosive waste, among others.

Due to this service it is possible to offer the clients an authorized installation with all the necessary safety measures for the proper storage of products or waste, providing a temporary solution to specific contingencies that could show up.