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'Dead bodies' smell factory to shut down
By Xu Chi |
July 13, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A PLASTICS factory in Fengxian District is being shut down after locals claimed that fumes from it smell like "dead bodies" and cause cancer.
Residents in Haiwan Town of Fengxian complained that the nearby plant burned plastic waste and that the foul-smelling smoke shrouded the village.
One villager said his grandfather died of lung cancer recently, at the age of 59. He believed that pollution from the factory was a major cause of his illness.
An official with Fengxian District Environment Protection Bureau said they planned to shut down the factory this month after receiving complaints.
Villagers described the stink from the factory's plastic waste as "smelling like dead bodies," saying the nauseating odor made people vomit.
A worker with the factory told a local radio program that his job is to burn plastic waste and pour the liquid into a pool.
The waste is then discharged into a river, he said.
Villagers said black waste could be seen floating on the river, water from which farmers use to irrigate their fields.
Locals said they had raised concerns about the plant on numerous occasions.
"A young man in the village repeatedly wrote to local government, complaining about the factory," said one villager.
"He never received a reply, so lost hope and got himself relocated from here."
"But we're old and fear the smoke may bring us lung cancer," the villager added.
A manager surnamed Tong at the factory said he had run the plant for more than 10 years and had a business license.
"I was unemployed before, so it was lucky for me to have my own business," he said.
However, Tong admitted that the factory had not had environmental appraisals conducted.
"How can I earn enough money to have some environment evaluation?"
Residents in Haiwan Town of Fengxian complained that the nearby plant burned plastic waste and that the foul-smelling smoke shrouded the village.
One villager said his grandfather died of lung cancer recently, at the age of 59. He believed that pollution from the factory was a major cause of his illness.
An official with Fengxian District Environment Protection Bureau said they planned to shut down the factory this month after receiving complaints.
Villagers described the stink from the factory's plastic waste as "smelling like dead bodies," saying the nauseating odor made people vomit.
A worker with the factory told a local radio program that his job is to burn plastic waste and pour the liquid into a pool.
The waste is then discharged into a river, he said.
Villagers said black waste could be seen floating on the river, water from which farmers use to irrigate their fields.
Locals said they had raised concerns about the plant on numerous occasions.
"A young man in the village repeatedly wrote to local government, complaining about the factory," said one villager.
"He never received a reply, so lost hope and got himself relocated from here."
"But we're old and fear the smoke may bring us lung cancer," the villager added.
A manager surnamed Tong at the factory said he had run the plant for more than 10 years and had a business license.
"I was unemployed before, so it was lucky for me to have my own business," he said.
However, Tong admitted that the factory had not had environmental appraisals conducted.
"How can I earn enough money to have some environment evaluation?"
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