▲ 원주환경청, 첨단장비로 유해화학물질 취급시설 감시활동 전개 <사진제공=원주지방환경청>  © 경기북부/강원 브레이크뉴스

[김일웅 기자 = 경기북부/강원] 원주지방환경청 소속 충주화학재난합동방재센터* 환경팀은 지난 5월부터 11월까지 강원·충북권의 6개 산단과 10개 사업장에 대해 유해화학물질 취급·관리 실태를 감시한 결과 화학물질이 안전하게 관리되고 있음을 확인했다고 밝혔다.

※(충주화학재난합동방재센터) 강원·충북 지역에서 발생하는 화학사고를 담당하며 5개팀(환경팀, 119화학구조팀, 산업안전팀, 가스안전팀, 지자체팀)으로 구성

강원·충북권 산업단지 등에서 많이 사용되는 유해화학물질 중 10종*을 선정하여 대기 중 농도를 측정한 결과 불검출로 확인됐으며, 드론을 활용하여 유해화학물질 취급사업장 150m 상공에서 보관·저장시설의 온도변화, 취급시설 주변 흡연 등을 모니터링한 결과 특이동향은 파악되지 않았다고 했다.

* 염산, 암모니아, 톨루엔, 아세트산 에틸, 메탄올, 질소산화물, 포름알데이드, 페놀, 시안화수소, 트리메틸아민

이번 감시활동은 코로나19의 장기화로 인한 대면 점검의 한계를 보완하고 사업장의 부담을 줄이기 위해 현장측정차량과 열화상카메라를 탑재한 드론 등 최첨단 장비를 적극 활용했다고 했다.

▲ 원주환경청, 첨단장비로 유해화학물질 취급시설 감시활동 전개 <사진제공=원주지방환경청>  © 경기북부/강원 브레이크뉴스

현장측정차량은 사업장 밖에서 유해화학물질의 농도를 실시간 분석할 수 있는 가스크로마토그래프 질량분석기(GC/MS), 푸리에변환 적외선분석기(FTIR)등을 탑재하고 있어 화학사고 발생가능성이 높은 사고대비물질 97종 중 63종을 분석할 수 있다고 했다.

또한, 드론에 부착된 열화상카메라는 약 150m 상공에서 사업장에 설치된 외부 저장탱크와 운반차량 등의 화학물질 유·누출로 인한 온도변화를 실시간 감시가 가능하다고 전했다.

원주지방환경청 이창흠 청장은 유해화학물질로부터 안전할 수 있도록 관리에 최선을 다하고 있는 강원·충북지역 내 사업장들에 고마움을 전하면서, “앞으로 드론 등 첨단장비를 활용한 비대면 감시활동을 지속적으로 확대하여 화학사고를 사전예방하고, 사업장 인근 주민들의 불안감 해소를 위해 노력할 것”이라고 말했다.

kocykim@naver.com

* 아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]이다. 

* Below is the [full text] of an English article translated from the above article as'Google Translate'.

Wonju Regional Environment Agency conducts monitoring activities for hazardous chemical handling facilities with advanced equipment

Identify risk factors such as real-time measurement of hazardous chemical concentrations and thermal imaging using drones and measurement and analysis vehicles

From May to November, as a result of pilot operation targeting 16 industrial complexes and business sites located in Gangwon and North Chungcheong Province, the safety management of hazardous chemicals was confirmed.

[Reporter Il-woong Kim = Northern Gyeonggi/Gangwon] The Chungju Chemical Disaster Prevention Center*, affiliated with the Wonju Regional Environment Agency, conducted a report on the handling and management of hazardous chemicals at 6 industrial complexes and 10 business sites in Gangwon and North Chungcheong Province from May to November. According to the monitoring results, it was confirmed that the chemical was safely managed.

※(Chungju Chemical Disaster Prevention Center) Responsible for chemical accidents occurring in Gangwon and North Chungcheong Province and consists of 5 teams (Environment Team, 119 Chemical Rescue Team, Industrial Safety Team, Gas Safety Team, and Local Government Team)

10 types* of hazardous chemical substances frequently used in industrial complexes in Gangwon and Chungbuk area were selected and the concentration in the air was measured and found to be non-detection. Using a drone, temperature changes in storage and storage facilities at 150m above hazardous chemical handling plants As a result of monitoring smoking in and around handling facilities, it said that no specific trends were identified.

* Hydrochloric acid, ammonia, toluene, ethyl acetate, methanol, nitrogen oxide, formaldehyde, phenol, hydrogen cyanide, trimethylamine

He said that this surveillance activity actively utilized state-of-the-art equipment, such as on-site measurement vehicles and drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, in order to supplement the limitations of face-to-face inspections due to the prolonged COVID-19 outbreak and to reduce the burden on the workplace.

The on-site measurement vehicle is equipped with a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and a Fourier transform infrared analyzer (FTIR) that can analyze the concentration of hazardous chemical substances in real time outside of the workplace. He said that 63 of the species could be analyzed.

In addition, the thermal imaging camera attached to the drone is said to be capable of real-time monitoring of temperature changes due to the leakage or leakage of chemical substances such as external storage tanks and transport vehicles installed in the workplace from an altitude of about 150m.

Director Chang-heum Lee of the Wonju Regional Environment Agency expressed his gratitude to the businesses in Gangwon and North Chungcheong who are doing their best to manage them so that they are safe from harmful chemicals. We will do our best to prevent chemical accidents in advance and to alleviate the anxiety of residents near our business sites,” he said.

kocykim@naver.com