March 22, 2025
    Advanced Search 
  >Home>News Center>China
       
 

Spring thawing not to repollute Songhua river
(AFP/Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-12 10:56

China's top environmental official has said the thawing of ice in the spring will not repollute the Songhua River, the scene of a severe toxic chemical spill last year.


Zhou Shengxian, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, speaks at a news conference in Beijing March 11, 2006. [newsphoto]
"The final conclusion is that this spring, the Songhua River will not have a second incident of pollution," Zhou Shengxian, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, told reporters at a news conference.

A blast ripped through a PetroChina chemical factory on November 13 in China's northeastern Jilin province, spewing tonnes of toxic benzene into the river.

An 80-kilometer-long (50-mile) slick of benzene consequently surged down the Songhua into the city of Harbin leaving up to four million people without tap water for days.

The spill also caused alarm in neighboring Russia as the Songhua feeds into the Amur which provides the main source of drinking water for the 600,000 residents of the Russian city of Khabarovsk.

China managed to reduce the risk by increasing the flow of water through reservoirs into the Songhua to dilute the chemical.

Experts however had warned that the problem could become worse in spring when ice flows that have trapped some of the pollution melt.

But Zhou said Saturday that Chinese and Russian experts have analyzed the water and concluded there was currently no danger and would not be any danger once the ice melted.

"Our final conclusion is Songhua River's fish are safe to eat, the dairy products made by farms (on the banks of the river) can be eaten," said Zhou Saturday.

Traces of pollution were found in the Amur in December but tests found they presented no danger to humans, Russian officials have said.

China has been embarrassed by the accident, one of the biggest environmental problems it has faced in recent years, which highlighted the environmental costs of its rapid industrialization and economic growth.

Scientific approach to development

China's environment chief thinks "scientific approach to development" is the tool he needs to tackle the country's pollution woes.

Zhou Shengxian took the position when his predecessor was forced to resign over his handling of a toxic spill last November that poisoned the Songhua River, a source of drinking water for millions, but Zhou said he was looking to avoid the same fate.

"It has equipped me with a very powerful weapon. If I use this weapon properly I will not end up resigning," said Zhou.

Zhou said the growth at any cost approach was changing.

"Prosperity at the expense of the environment is superficial and weak. It is only a delay of disaster," he said.

The Songhua River spill, which became an international incident when an explosion at a chemical plant sent 100 tonnes of cancer-causing benzene compounds flowing toward Russia, showed that a crisis is already underway.

In inspections of chemical plants following the spill, SEPA found dozens of others that posed safety hazards.

Its report to parliament said of that of 43,000 enterprises inspected nearly half were found "with hidden danger in terms of environmental safety". The report called the environmental situation across China "very grave" and said capacity to enforce and monitor environmental laws was lagging.

Zhou, along with China's top economic planners, have pledged reforms that better account for the cost of development, including changing the pricing system of water and energy so they reflect the scarcity of the resources.

"Under some conditions, development is like combustion," Zhou warned. "What's burned away are resources, what's leftover is pollution, and what's produced in that process is GDP."

The government is also introducing regulations that aim to integrate environmental losses into the evaluation of leaders, but analysts say it will take time before local officials, keen on boosting investment and accustomed to being judged on growth above all else, change their behaviour.

Officials are also sometimes reluctant to use cleaner technologies if they are more expensive. A 2004 SEPA survey found that only half of new sewage treatment plants were operating because cash-strapped local officials thought they were too costly to use.



CPPCC session ends in Beijing
CPPCC session ends Monday
Protest against Chen Shui-bian
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

CPPCC calls for fight against 'Taiwan independence'

 

   
 

'Our living legacy must be guarded'

 

   
 

FM: Ambassador to Japan 'excellent'

 

   
 

Minister: China risks environmental disaster

 

   
 

Efforts being made to bring back criminals

 

   
 

Governor: Renminbi reform on sound track

 

   
  CPPCC calls for fight against 'Taiwan independence'
   
  Judicial system receives fewer complaints
   
  Commercial bribes of top concern
   
  Sound Pakistan-China ties hailed
   
  Organ transplant regulation drafted
   
  China helps Bangladesh forecast flood
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
 
Font Large Medium Small
E-Mail This Story
Print Friendly Format
Comment On This Story
Save This Story
 
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         

| Home | News | Business | Living in China | Forum | E-Papers | Weather |

| About China Daily | About China Daily.com.cn | Contact Us | Site Map | Jobs |
 Copyright 2005 Chinadaily.com.cn All rights reserved. Registered Number: 20100000002731
主站蜘蛛池模板: 丰满人妻一区二区三区视频53 | 国产日韩在线观看视频网站| katsumi精品作品在线播放| 日本人内谢69xxxx| 亚洲av无码片一区二区三区| 波多野结衣之cesd819| 公和熄小婷乱中文字幕| 色综合网站在线| 国产成人8X视频网站入口| 18禁美女黄网站色大片免费观看| 天天av天天翘天天综合网| 三年片在线影院| 无码人妻精品中文字幕免费东京热| 亚拍精品一区二区三区| 蜜桃成熟时无删减手机在线观看 | 国产精品久久久久久久久久久搜索 | 国产在线无码视频一区二区三区 | 你懂得视频在线观看| 在线观看a网站| 一区二区三区内射美女毛片| 新版天堂资源在线官网8| 久久午夜夜伦鲁鲁片无码免费| 朝鲜女人大白屁股ASS孕交| 亚洲国产精品福利片在线观看| 波多野结衣aa| 人妻大战黑人白浆狂泄| 精品久久久久久久免费人妻| 同性女电影三级中文字幕| 色婷婷激婷婷深爱五月小蛇| 国产人妖cdmagnet| 高清国产av一区二区三区| 国产成人精品无码专区| 2020国产精品自拍| 国产精品嫩草影院免费| 69视频免费看| 国产综合色在线视频| 99rv精品视频在线播放| 在线免费观看视频你懂的| a免费毛片在线播放| 天天视频一区二区三区| www.99re|