Reuters AlertNet Lite - China chemical spill halts water supply to 200,000

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

China chemical spill halts water supply to 200,000

04 Jul 2007 01:17:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

BEIJING, July 4 (Reuters) - Water supplies to 200,000 residents in eastern China have been halted after ammonia and azote leaked from a chemical plant into a river, the latest in a string of pollution incidents amid an industrial boom.

State media reported on Wednesday that residents of Shuyang County in the heavily industrialised province of Jiangsu had been provided with water from 33 unpolluted wells after the spill.

Bad air and water have become a constant concern for many Chinese as the country seeks to race into economic prosperity, often with little regard for the environment.

A pollution-fed algae outbreak last month in Taihu Lake, also in Jiangsu, cut off tap water to Wuxi city for days.

But as illness, deaths and discontent from pollution have risen, the central government has sought to rein in dangerous emissions and tame enthusiasm for breakneck growth.

"For the sake of their own political scorecards, some local officials have been joining forces with businesses that are seeking windfall profits," deputy chief of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), Pan Yue, said on Wednesday.

Pan told the China Youth Daily that in 2006, 26 percent of the length of the country's seven main river systems had pollution of grade 5 or worse, making it unfit for human contact. Seven of 9 major lakes monitored had equally bad pollution.

"This series of dark statistics shows that traditional industrial growth has already pushed China's resources and environment to nearly intolerable limits," he said.

About 460,000 Chinese die prematurely each year from breathing polluted air and drinking dirty water, according to a World Bank study.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that the Chinese government, the bank's partner in the research project, had asked the lender not to publish the estimates for fear they could intensify public discontent.

Six cities, two counties and five industrial parks were named and shamed by SEPA this week for their role in polluting four major rivers, including China's longest two, the Yangtze and the Yellow River.

SEPA would not approve any projects proposed by the accused polluters for three months other than treatment plants and "recycling" facilities, the agency said in a statement on its Web site (www.sepa.gov.cn).

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Water

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• China profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• GlobalMedic responds to Pakistan
DMGF

• CWS appeal: China 2007 Earthquake Response
CWS

• World Vision China to aid 61,040 flood-affected villagers
WV - International

• WER is drilling deep for safe water... and a safer future for Sudanese children
WER - UK

• ACT Appeal: Assistance to Earthquake Affected, China-Ning'er County
ACT - Switzerland

MORE >>

Latest news

• China chemical spill halts water supply to 200,000

• Scientists solve puzzle of Chile's missing lake

• N.Korea urges 'initial actions' on nuclear deal

• EU says no plans to ban Chinese seafood

• IMO and UNHCR urge action to prevent rising death toll at sea

MORE >>

Last updated:Wed Jul 4 01:20:22 2007