Probe continues on Mitsubishi Chemical's ethylene plant fire

Probe continues on Mitsubishi Chemical's ethylene plant fire

MITO, Japan - Fire investigators inspect the Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. ethylene plant in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Dec. 24, two days after a fire gutted a cracking furnace used to refine naphtha and propylene. Four workers died in the blaze, which burned for 12 hours on Dec. 22.

(1)Fire at Hokkaido oil refinery extinguished

(1)Fire at Hokkaido oil refinery extinguished

TOMAKOMAI, Japan - The charred remains of a naphtha tank (front) at the Idemitsu Kosan Co. oil refinery in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, after the fire was extinguished early Sept. 30, some 44 hours after the tank, damaged by powerful earthquakes on Sept. 26, caught fire Sept. 28.

Quakes spark 2nd fire at Hokkaido oil refinery

Quakes spark 2nd fire at Hokkaido oil refinery

SAPPORO, Japan - Flames and smoke rise from a naphtha tank at an oil refinery in Tomoakomai, Hokkaido, on Sept. 28 following a series of earthquakes. It was the second quake-induced blaze at the Idemitsu Kosan Co. facility since on Sept. 26.

Hitachi Zosen, CPR plan new biodegradable plastic production

Hitachi Zosen, CPR plan new biodegradable plastic production

OSAKA, Japan - Hitachi Zosen Corp. and CPR Co. said on June 12 they will jointly produce biodegradable plastic from cassava (in photo), a plant grown in the tropics. The major shipbuilder and the Hyogo Prefecture-based maker of eco-friendly products believe the new plastic could become a cheaper alternative to conventional plastics made from petroleum-derived naphtha besides being less harmful to the environmental. (Kyodo)

Probe continues on Mitsubishi Chemical's ethylene plant fire

Probe continues on Mitsubishi Chemical's ethylene plant fire

MITO, Japan - Fire investigators inspect the Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. ethylene plant in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, on Dec. 24, two days after a fire gutted a cracking furnace used to refine naphtha and propylene. Four workers died in the blaze, which burned for 12 hours on Dec. 22. (Kyodo)

(1)Fire at Hokkaido oil refinery extinguished

(1)Fire at Hokkaido oil refinery extinguished

TOMAKOMAI, Japan - The charred remains of a naphtha tank (front) at the Idemitsu Kosan Co. oil refinery in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, after the fire was extinguished early Sept. 30, some 44 hours after the tank, damaged by powerful earthquakes on Sept. 26, caught fire Sept. 28. (Kyodo)

Quakes spark 2nd fire at Hokkaido oil refinery

Quakes spark 2nd fire at Hokkaido oil refinery

SAPPORO, Japan - Flames and smoke rise from a naphtha tank at an oil refinery in Tomoakomai, Hokkaido, on Sept. 28 following a series of earthquakes. It was the second quake-induced blaze at the Idemitsu Kosan Co. facility since on Sept. 26. (Kyodo)