Related News
Chemicals contaminate N China river, water supply cut off
Source: Xinhua |
January 6, 2013, Sunday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
Nearly 9 tons of aniline leaked by a chemical plant in north China's Shanxi Province has ended up in the Zhuozhang River, local authorities said today.
An initial investigation revealed that a loose drainage valve in the plant, which is owned by the Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group, was to blame for the leak.
The leak was discovered on December 31, 2012, when plant employees spotted aniline leaking from a broken pipe while conducting a routine check, a company spokesman said.
Another 30 tons of spilled aniline have been contained in a nearby disused reservoir, the local emergency response headquarters said.
A statement from the municipal government of Changzhi said the leak has not resulted in any deaths, adding that the river's water quality has been improving.
A further investigation into the accident is under way.
The contamination has cut off water supplies for Handan, a city located on the river's lower reaches, since yesterday afternoon. The city government said water supplies will not be immediately resumed.
Aniline is a toxic chemical widely used to manufacture pigments, herbicides and other chemicals.
Other rivers have experienced similar contamination in recent years. The Longjiang River in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was polluted with industrial waste in January 2011, killing a lot of fish and cutting off water supplies in the city of Liuzhou.
In 2010, the Songhua River in northeast China's Jilin Province was polluted by chemicals that were swept into the river after floods hit warehouses owned by two chemical companies.
An initial investigation revealed that a loose drainage valve in the plant, which is owned by the Tianji Coal Chemical Industry Group, was to blame for the leak.
The leak was discovered on December 31, 2012, when plant employees spotted aniline leaking from a broken pipe while conducting a routine check, a company spokesman said.
Another 30 tons of spilled aniline have been contained in a nearby disused reservoir, the local emergency response headquarters said.
A statement from the municipal government of Changzhi said the leak has not resulted in any deaths, adding that the river's water quality has been improving.
A further investigation into the accident is under way.
The contamination has cut off water supplies for Handan, a city located on the river's lower reaches, since yesterday afternoon. The city government said water supplies will not be immediately resumed.
Aniline is a toxic chemical widely used to manufacture pigments, herbicides and other chemicals.
Other rivers have experienced similar contamination in recent years. The Longjiang River in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was polluted with industrial waste in January 2011, killing a lot of fish and cutting off water supplies in the city of Liuzhou.
In 2010, the Songhua River in northeast China's Jilin Province was polluted by chemicals that were swept into the river after floods hit warehouses owned by two chemical companies.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
