City to relocate plants in wake of toxic river spill
Source: Xinhua |
February 6, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in a southwestern China city said yesterday that they will relocate all smelting plants near downtown within five years, after a spill of toxic cadmium in a river threatened drinking water supplies for millions of people.
Metals companies that refuse to move out of town will be shut down, Liao Jincheng, director of the development and reform commission of Hechi city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, told Xinhua news agency.
Cadmium pollution was first detected in the Longjiang River on January 15 in Hechi, later spreading to the downstream Liujiang River, threatening water security in Liuzhou, a city with 1.5 million permanent residents.
Investigations found two factories, one producing a dye product called lithopone without a license, and the other a metallurgical plant, to be responsible. They had illegally discharged contaminated waste.
Liao said that Hechi, a city with 145 heavy metals companies, had been considering relocating plants before the spill and plans were already written in the city's five-year plan starting this year.
Mills will be relocated to two industrial parks tens of kilometers away, said Liao.
Liao said centralized production would make it easier for environmental monitoring and it cut pollution treatment costs for companies.
Small smelting companies with annual production value of lower than 20 million yuan (US$3.17 million) will be first to move, Liao said.
Metals companies that refuse to move out of town will be shut down, Liao Jincheng, director of the development and reform commission of Hechi city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, told Xinhua news agency.
Cadmium pollution was first detected in the Longjiang River on January 15 in Hechi, later spreading to the downstream Liujiang River, threatening water security in Liuzhou, a city with 1.5 million permanent residents.
Investigations found two factories, one producing a dye product called lithopone without a license, and the other a metallurgical plant, to be responsible. They had illegally discharged contaminated waste.
Liao said that Hechi, a city with 145 heavy metals companies, had been considering relocating plants before the spill and plans were already written in the city's five-year plan starting this year.
Mills will be relocated to two industrial parks tens of kilometers away, said Liao.
Liao said centralized production would make it easier for environmental monitoring and it cut pollution treatment costs for companies.
Small smelting companies with annual production value of lower than 20 million yuan (US$3.17 million) will be first to move, Liao said.
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