Workshop on chemical security at GITAM

Visakhapatnam: Indo-US workshop on the security of dual use of chemicals was organised here on Friday at GITAM University. The workshop is jointly organised by GITAM University, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Punjab University, Gujarat University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) from the US.

The workshop was conducted to create awareness on the importance of chemical security and provide security planning information and training to current and future chemical industry workers.

Inaugurating the workshop, GITAM president Dr MVVS Murthi mentioned that there is a need for chemical management in the country and risk reduction programmes on the priority basis. He worried about the recent industrial accidents in and around Visakhapatnam at the industrial belt and urged the scientists to give proper guidance to protect the environment and workforce.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL's), USA Chief Scientist, Dr.Clifford Glantz, said that in India, United States and around the world there is a need to ensure that dual-use chemicals are manufactured, stored, transported and used in a safe and secure manner. Dual-use chemicals are substances that can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes, he added.

The PNNL Senior Technical Adviser, Dr Kenneth Ferguson, said that appropriate security precautions are needed to protect dual-use chemicals from theft or diversion and to protect chemical facilities from sabotage.