Fertiliser banned in Australia causes horror explosion in Beirut

Gregor Heard
Updated August 10 2020 - 10:56pm, first published 7:00pm
Highly volatile ammonium nitrate was the culprit behind the massive Beirut explosions last week.
Highly volatile ammonium nitrate was the culprit behind the massive Beirut explosions last week.

THE DEVASTATING explosion that rocked the Lebanese city of Beirut last week was caused by a form of nitrogen fertiliser banned in Australia since 2004.

Gregor Heard

Gregor Heard

National Grains Industry Reporter

Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.

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