8 officials detained over cadmium spill into river
By Cai Wenjun |
February 2, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
EIGHT officials from two companies suspected to be responsible for a cadmium spill in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been detained.
Three are from Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co Ltd while the others are from Jinchengjiang Hongquan Lithopone Material Ltd, He Xinxing, mayor of Guangxi's Hechi City, told reporters yesterday afternoon.
Another four company executives were still on the run, he said yesterday.
The mayor publicly apologized for the pollution scandal that tainted a major river and threatened water supplies.
"Pollution of the Longjiang River has had a severe impact on the lives of the local residents, particularly those living in the downstream areas including Liuzhou City," the mayor said.
"On behalf of the Hechi city government, I apologize to those people."
The mayor said the local government should be held to account for the pollution as it failed to properly carry out its supervisory role.
Experts at an emergency center set up to handle the cadmium spill said that treatment to minimize the effects of the spill had been successful.
Center spokesman Feng Zhennian said cadmium levels in the regions that were sources of Liuzhou's water supply had dropped below the official limit and the city's drinking water met the national standard.
Cadmium pollutants were first detected in Longjiang River on January 15.
Longjiang River is an upstream tributary of Liujiang River, which runs through Liuzhou, a city with 1.5 million permanent residents.
Experts estimate that about 20 tons of cadmium had leaked into the river. The incident has led to an overhaul of heavy metal businesses along the Longjiang River. As of yesterday, 145 firms had been scrutinized, of which 11 had been closed or suspended.
The local environmental watchdog has also ordered the closure of more than 90 dumping sites by Sunday.
Cadmium, a carcinogenic, is often found in industrial waste.
Three are from Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co Ltd while the others are from Jinchengjiang Hongquan Lithopone Material Ltd, He Xinxing, mayor of Guangxi's Hechi City, told reporters yesterday afternoon.
Another four company executives were still on the run, he said yesterday.
The mayor publicly apologized for the pollution scandal that tainted a major river and threatened water supplies.
"Pollution of the Longjiang River has had a severe impact on the lives of the local residents, particularly those living in the downstream areas including Liuzhou City," the mayor said.
"On behalf of the Hechi city government, I apologize to those people."
The mayor said the local government should be held to account for the pollution as it failed to properly carry out its supervisory role.
Experts at an emergency center set up to handle the cadmium spill said that treatment to minimize the effects of the spill had been successful.
Center spokesman Feng Zhennian said cadmium levels in the regions that were sources of Liuzhou's water supply had dropped below the official limit and the city's drinking water met the national standard.
Cadmium pollutants were first detected in Longjiang River on January 15.
Longjiang River is an upstream tributary of Liujiang River, which runs through Liuzhou, a city with 1.5 million permanent residents.
Experts estimate that about 20 tons of cadmium had leaked into the river. The incident has led to an overhaul of heavy metal businesses along the Longjiang River. As of yesterday, 145 firms had been scrutinized, of which 11 had been closed or suspended.
The local environmental watchdog has also ordered the closure of more than 90 dumping sites by Sunday.
Cadmium, a carcinogenic, is often found in industrial waste.
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