Cooling Water Leak Turns Sea Red at Okinawa Beer Factory
A leak of cooling water from a brewery in Okinawa, Japan, has captured attention as it has resulted in a striking red hue coloring the nearby sea.
According to Japanese media outlets Yomiuri Shimbun and TBS News, on the morning of the 27th, cooling water containing propylene glycol, a type of food additive, leaked from the Orion Beer Factory in Nago, Okinawa.
Propylene glycol is a commonly used preservative that helps prevent the spread of mold in food. It serves as a quality protection agent in numerous food factories and is typically colorless and transparent.
However, one distinguishing characteristic of coolant containing propylene glycol is its red discoloration, which allows leaks to be promptly identified. Thus, when the cooling water was unintentionally discharged into the nearby sea, it instantly transformed the water’s surface into a vivid red color.
The brewery promptly repaired the coolant leak around 9:30 am on the same day. A factory official expressed regret over the incident, stating, “The refrigerant poses no harm to the human body and does not impact the marine environment. Nevertheless, I deeply apologize for any inconvenience and concerns caused.”
In an effort to prevent future leaks, Orion Brewery, the owner of the facility, has announced plans to implement sensors that can detect liquid leaks.
Locals who witnessed this unusual occurrence expressed their surprise. One individual shared a video of the red-colored sea, commenting, “This is the first time I’ve seen the ocean like this.” Concerns were also raised, such as whether the flesh of fish would be affected and how the incident would impact local fishermen.
Reported by Lim Joo-hyung
Cooling water and preservative leaks at Okinawa beer factory
Because of the characteristic red discoloration that can be seen on discharge
A leak of cooling water from a beer factory in Okinawa, Japan, has been drawing attention as it has dyed the nearby sea red.
According to the Japanese media Yomiuri Shimbun and TBS News on the 27th (local time), on the morning of the same day, cooling water containing propylene glycol, a type of food additive, leaked from the Orion Beer Factory in Nago, Okinawa.
Propylene glycol is a preservative that prevents mold from spreading in food. It is used as a quality protection agent in many food factories. It is usually a colorless transparent liquid.
The area around the fishing port in Nago City, Okinawa is colored red. [이미지출처=트위터]
However, coolant containing propylene glycol is characterized by a red discoloration so leaks can be identified immediately. Because of this, when the cooling water was released into the nearby sea, the surface of the sea was colored red.
The brewery reportedly fixed the coolant leak around 9:30am on the same day. A factory official told the Yomiuri Shimbun, “The refrigerant is harmless to the human body and does not affect the marine environment,” but bowed his head, saying, “I deeply apologize for causing inconvenience and great concern.”
The sea turned red. [이미지출처=트위터]
Orion Brewery, which owns the brewery, plans to devise measures to prevent leaks by using sensors that detect liquid leaks in the future.
On the other hand, local netizens who came across the accident responded that it was ‘strange’ to see the fishing port near the sea turning red. One netizen shared a video of the accident scene and said, “This is the first time I’ve seen the sea like this.” There were also responses such as “Doesn’t the flesh of the fish turn red?” and “The fishermen must have been surprised.”
Reporter Lim Joo-hyung skepped@asiae.co.kr
#Japans #bloody #sea.. #Coolant #leaked
