What events led to this disaster occurring? What could have been done to stop this disaster from occurring and the harm done to the ecosystem?
This disaster was primarily caused by a form of human error. There was a blockage in the plant's processing tower, and the failed attempt of a worker to clear it eventually led to the explosions taking place. Had the worker called for backup or made the issue known, this disaster could have been avoided. Furthermore, the plant officials' decision to withhold information about the chemical spill from the Beijing government led to the increasing severity of the case. Had government officials known about the disaster, the environmental protection agencies who responded to the crisis could have provided their help earlier on in the case, and possibly could have prevented the chemical spill from flowing downstream and across the border into Russia. The poor effects of the pollutants on river communities and organisms could have been restricted to one area of the river rather than all the way into Russia, leading to a minimal chain reaction within river communities.
