China fights back at pollution
Dalian residents take to the streets to protest against a chemical plant. An oil company pays triple compensation for oil spills off the coast of Shandong. Known for its poor environmental protection record, China now appears to be changing. For some analysts, it is just the start.
Beijing (AsiaNews) – Civil society groups and ordinary Chinese are not taking pollution lying down anymore. Mass protests in Dalian against a chemical plant and a heavy fine against an oil company in Shandong are just the beginning, a “wake-up call to the Chinese authorities,” analysts say.
On Sunday, more than 10,000 Dalian residents took to the streets of their city to protest against a local plant making paraxylene (PX), a highly toxic, cancer-causing chemical that can harm the nervous system.
A week ago, a spill from the plant polluted a local river and now threatens the environment and residents’ lives.
The protest was triggered by the fact that locals felt betrayed when the plant was allowed to be built without their knowledge and operated illegally for months despite safety and pollution risks, Professor Zhu Lijia, from the Chinese Academy of Governance, said. In his view, popular reaction is a serious warning to local authorities.
China has a reputation for poor environmental policies. Although the central government has said that the protection of nature is a priority, it has ignored illegal dumping and the production of deadly chemicals for years.
Foreign and domestic businesses have taken advantage of the situation to make products that cannot be done in the West.
"Locals in Dalian not only marched against the chemical plant and local authorities' handling of the spill scare, but also wanted to vent their anger at the government's crumbling credibility," Zhu said. "The message is simple—the people are discontented and they simply don't trust the government."
For analysts the Dalian protest might have a positive domino effect on other death-causing factories. However, there are at least 11 PX projects either being built or already operational across the country.
A chemical plant in Yunnan is also in trouble. In the past 20 years, it has dumped more than 280,000 tonnes of uncontained (and highly toxic and carcinogenic) toxic chromium residue near the source of the Pearl River.
The authorities ordered the plant to look into the situation, but some technicians said that no contamination was detected in the Pearl River. And locals are afraid.
Things are not much better in the oil industry. In the case of two spills involving US-based ConocoPhillips, because the impact of such pollution usually lasts for three years, the amount of compensation could be triple the total economic loss and reach 600,000 yuan, because of immediate damages and long term impact on fishing and sea life, this according to Prof Wang Yamin, from the Marine College at Shandong University in Weihai.
At a press conference in Beijing, the company accepted responsibility for the oil leaks, saying it was assessing the situation caused by the two spills on 4 and 17 June, but which were made public only a few days ago.
China National Offshore Oil Corporation, the joint owner of the oilfield, denied it had covered up the accidents.
On Sunday, more than 10,000 Dalian residents took to the streets of their city to protest against a local plant making paraxylene (PX), a highly toxic, cancer-causing chemical that can harm the nervous system.
A week ago, a spill from the plant polluted a local river and now threatens the environment and residents’ lives.
The protest was triggered by the fact that locals felt betrayed when the plant was allowed to be built without their knowledge and operated illegally for months despite safety and pollution risks, Professor Zhu Lijia, from the Chinese Academy of Governance, said. In his view, popular reaction is a serious warning to local authorities.
China has a reputation for poor environmental policies. Although the central government has said that the protection of nature is a priority, it has ignored illegal dumping and the production of deadly chemicals for years.
Foreign and domestic businesses have taken advantage of the situation to make products that cannot be done in the West.
"Locals in Dalian not only marched against the chemical plant and local authorities' handling of the spill scare, but also wanted to vent their anger at the government's crumbling credibility," Zhu said. "The message is simple—the people are discontented and they simply don't trust the government."
For analysts the Dalian protest might have a positive domino effect on other death-causing factories. However, there are at least 11 PX projects either being built or already operational across the country.
A chemical plant in Yunnan is also in trouble. In the past 20 years, it has dumped more than 280,000 tonnes of uncontained (and highly toxic and carcinogenic) toxic chromium residue near the source of the Pearl River.
The authorities ordered the plant to look into the situation, but some technicians said that no contamination was detected in the Pearl River. And locals are afraid.
Things are not much better in the oil industry. In the case of two spills involving US-based ConocoPhillips, because the impact of such pollution usually lasts for three years, the amount of compensation could be triple the total economic loss and reach 600,000 yuan, because of immediate damages and long term impact on fishing and sea life, this according to Prof Wang Yamin, from the Marine College at Shandong University in Weihai.
At a press conference in Beijing, the company accepted responsibility for the oil leaks, saying it was assessing the situation caused by the two spills on 4 and 17 June, but which were made public only a few days ago.
China National Offshore Oil Corporation, the joint owner of the oilfield, denied it had covered up the accidents.
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