Storm scare may move toxic plant
By Wang Qingchu |
August 11, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in Dalian City of northeast China's Liaoning Province, are considering relocating a chemical plant, after a tropical storm smashed a protective dike and huge waves threatened a compound full of toxic material.
While moving the Fujia Dahua Petrochemical Co Ltd plant is just one option, the municipal government is to announce plans to remove the potential hazard as soon as possible, the China News Service reported yesterday.
Waves as high as 20 meters broke the dike constructed by Fujia Dahua and threatened its compound when Tropical Storm Muifa swept through the region on Monday.
Temporary repairs were carried out on the dike using concrete and rocks.
Fujia Dahua manufactures p-Xylene (PX), which is used on a large scale in the production of polyester. The substance is poisonous to humans when exposed to the air or dissolved in water, the report said.
International regulations state that chemical plants producing PX should be constructed at least 100 kilometers away from the city, an expert with Dalian University of Technology, who asked to remain anonymous, told the China News Service.
However, Fujia Dahua is only 21 kilometers from Dalian.
There was controversy when the 10 billion yuan (US$1.56 billion) project was approved by the authorities.
And many Dalian residents were unaware of what the plant produced, the report said, citing the expert.
Fujia Dahua is also suspected of having started production before the environmental authorities granted approval, the National Business Daily reported yesterday.
The project was approved by the nation's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, in December 2005 and went into production in May 2009.
But the Ministry of Environmental Protection only gave the green light for production in April 2010, after conducting a study to evaluate its environmental impact, the report said.
Fujia Dahua came under the spotlight on Monday after several workers allegedly attacked reporters from China Central Television trying to enter the site as the tropical storm threatened.
While moving the Fujia Dahua Petrochemical Co Ltd plant is just one option, the municipal government is to announce plans to remove the potential hazard as soon as possible, the China News Service reported yesterday.
Waves as high as 20 meters broke the dike constructed by Fujia Dahua and threatened its compound when Tropical Storm Muifa swept through the region on Monday.
Temporary repairs were carried out on the dike using concrete and rocks.
Fujia Dahua manufactures p-Xylene (PX), which is used on a large scale in the production of polyester. The substance is poisonous to humans when exposed to the air or dissolved in water, the report said.
International regulations state that chemical plants producing PX should be constructed at least 100 kilometers away from the city, an expert with Dalian University of Technology, who asked to remain anonymous, told the China News Service.
However, Fujia Dahua is only 21 kilometers from Dalian.
There was controversy when the 10 billion yuan (US$1.56 billion) project was approved by the authorities.
And many Dalian residents were unaware of what the plant produced, the report said, citing the expert.
Fujia Dahua is also suspected of having started production before the environmental authorities granted approval, the National Business Daily reported yesterday.
The project was approved by the nation's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, in December 2005 and went into production in May 2009.
But the Ministry of Environmental Protection only gave the green light for production in April 2010, after conducting a study to evaluate its environmental impact, the report said.
Fujia Dahua came under the spotlight on Monday after several workers allegedly attacked reporters from China Central Television trying to enter the site as the tropical storm threatened.
- 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.
