The environmental team in the city of Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan, issued a warning that residents are prohibited from approaching or touching cats roaming around on Tuesday, March 12th. This was caused by the discovery of tawny cat footprints at the Nomura Plating Fukuyama Factory, Japan.
The cat footprints were found by one of the factory employees
away from the container of hexavalent chromium, a highly potent and toxic
carcinogenic material.
"We immediately notified the police, Fukuyama city
residents, and residents around our factory," said a Nomura Plating
Fukuyama Factory representative.
Traced from CCTV, a cat was seen running away from the
factory. It is suspected that the cat touched the toxic material which was
stored in a 3-meter-deep container barrel. There is no recording of how the cat
came in contact with the chemicals. According to the BBC, the factory owner
said the tank was covered with a sheet. However, the sheet was revealed when
they found the cat's footprints.
According to local media Asahi Shimbun, touching the
chemical can cause skin inflammation, and inhaling it can cause respiratory
problems. Experts doubt whether the cat will survive long after coming into
contact with the chemical substance.
"Even if fur can protect the skin from severe burns,
cats clean their fur by licking it, then transfer the corrosive solution into
the mouth," Linda Schenk, a researcher specializing in chemical risk
assessment at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, told CNN.
Until now, the cat's whereabouts are unknown and the search
is still ongoing. But officials, experts, and citizens speculate that
unfortunately the cat is already dead or will die soon due to contact with
toxic and dangerous chemicals.
Several residents regretted this incident because they may
have lost a cat's life. However, this incident made the factory introspect to
maintain safety from the entry of small animals such as cats.
Comments
Post a Comment