2023-06-30 02:30:00
A brewery on the Japanese island of Okinawa (southwest) apologized on Tuesday (06.27.2023) after a refrigerant leak occurred in one of its factories, apparently harmless to health, which turned the bay blood red. neighbor and its tributary, and that generated concern among the locals.
During the morning, the inhabitants of the port area of the city of Nago noticed that the water had turned a “spooky” red color, and some users on Twitter pointed out that it was probably the leak of a “poisonous” substance.
Apologies from the Japanese brewery
The Orion Breweries company came out to clarify that the water took on that red color due to a liquid called propylene glycola coolant additive with a food coloring, which had leaked from a factory in the area.
“We believe the cooling water leak seeped through rainwater gutters into a river, thereby turning the ocean red,” the company said.
Through its president, Hajime Murano, the brewery apologized for “the inconvenience and concern we have caused to nearby residents and other stakeholders” and said it would take steps to prevent a repeat of the leak.
It would not be a poisonous substance
Despite its intense blood-red color, the water does not present any danger to human health or the marine ecosystem, an Orion official told the Okinawa Times.
“The red looks poisonous, but it’s a relief to know it’s just food coloring and not likely to do any major damage,” wrote a Twitter user by the name of Aresu.
He propylene glycolalso used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, among others, is “normally recognized as safe,” according to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
A place for fishing and vacations
The island of Okinawa, in subtropical latitudes and approximately 640 kilometers southwest of mainland Japan, is the fifth largest island in the Asian country and has been a strategic point for the US military since the 1945 Battle of Okinawa in World War II. World.
Today, the island is known for its crystal blue waters, appreciated by lovers of scuba diving and fishing. Also, in the area stands out the cultivation of pineapples.
JU (afp, Japan Times, CNN)
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