Search


	Podcast:		Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
	Episode:		Flixborough: The Factory that was Wiped off the Map
	Category:		History
	Duration:		00:38:30
	Publish Date:		2025-12-12 05:01:00
	Description:		A megaplant near the small village of Flixborough, England, is busy churning out a key ingredient of nylon 6, a material used in everything from stockings to toothbrushes to electronics. When a reactor vessel fails, the engineers improvise a quick-fix workaround, so the plant can keep up with demand. Before long, the temporary patch - a small, bent pipe - becomes a permanent part of the factory, and the people of Flixborough unknowingly drift towards disaster. For a full list of sources, see www.timharford.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	Total Play:		0