Pollution secret of new housing
By Pan Zheng |
December 1, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MORE than 2,400 households in a new housing complex in central China's Hubei Province were kept in the dark by developers about the fact that their homes were built on the polluted site of a chemical factory.
Builders tried to clean up the pollution at the complex in the Jiang'an District of Wuhan, Hubei's provincial capital, after the problem was uncovered. But they never told residents what they were doing, Beijing News reported yesterday.
Most homes in the development were allocated to households relocated due to demolition work in Wuhan. The remainder were sold as budget homes. All the apartments have been sold and some families have already moved into the complex.
The environmental evaluation report by the Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau, which was supposed to be completed before construction started, was finally published in November 2009, when most of the building work was already finished.
The bureau's report shows that construction was approved by Wuhan Land and Resources Bureau and Wuhan Planning Bureau and started before the land had been environmentally evaluated - a highly irregular process.
"The land had not met environmental protection requirements," the report said.
The factory produced fluorine products and electro-plating additives, using material that can be harmful to human health.
"If the chemical materials are left in the soil, the poisonous effect can remain for many years," said Luo Yongming, a PhD student supervisor of Nanjing Soil Research Institute.
The construction company covered the polluted land with plastic sheeting and put clean soil on top to isolate the pollution, but the potential dangers are still unknown.
A retired worker from the chemical factory, identified by his surname as Yan, is one of the residents. He knows the risk lurking is the soil, but most of his neighbors are still unaware.
"Now, of course, it's impossible to demolish the houses and examine the land," said Yan, angrily, "But who will be responsible for the health of so many people?"
Builders tried to clean up the pollution at the complex in the Jiang'an District of Wuhan, Hubei's provincial capital, after the problem was uncovered. But they never told residents what they were doing, Beijing News reported yesterday.
Most homes in the development were allocated to households relocated due to demolition work in Wuhan. The remainder were sold as budget homes. All the apartments have been sold and some families have already moved into the complex.
The environmental evaluation report by the Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau, which was supposed to be completed before construction started, was finally published in November 2009, when most of the building work was already finished.
The bureau's report shows that construction was approved by Wuhan Land and Resources Bureau and Wuhan Planning Bureau and started before the land had been environmentally evaluated - a highly irregular process.
"The land had not met environmental protection requirements," the report said.
The factory produced fluorine products and electro-plating additives, using material that can be harmful to human health.
"If the chemical materials are left in the soil, the poisonous effect can remain for many years," said Luo Yongming, a PhD student supervisor of Nanjing Soil Research Institute.
The construction company covered the polluted land with plastic sheeting and put clean soil on top to isolate the pollution, but the potential dangers are still unknown.
A retired worker from the chemical factory, identified by his surname as Yan, is one of the residents. He knows the risk lurking is the soil, but most of his neighbors are still unaware.
"Now, of course, it's impossible to demolish the houses and examine the land," said Yan, angrily, "But who will be responsible for the health of so many people?"
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