Flixborough: The Factory that was Wiped off the Map

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Recorded12 Dec 2025

Publisheromnycontent.com ↗

Handlerec:14556481

Show notes

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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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