Chinese smelter Yuguang Gold and Lead acknowledges poisoning role
Friday, 16 Oct 2009
Reuters reported that China's largest lead smelting firm has acknowledged partial responsibility after nearly 1,000 children living near some of China's biggest lead plants showed excessive levels of lead in their blood.
Some plants and production lines in Jiyuan, Henan Province have been suspended since the poisoning of children living near smelters in other provinces became public in late August, triggering protests by parents in several regions. The area is home to China's biggest cluster of lead smelters.
Mr Yang Anguo board chairman of Yuguang Gold and Lead said that "We do bear responsibility for the pollution. Some pollution has accumulated over the past 20 years or more and the plant is too near homes."
Mr Wei Zongchang director of the Jiyuan health bureau said that blood tests showed 968 children out of 2,743 tested fewer than 14 living near 3 major smelters had high levels of lead in their blood.
According to China's environment minister, Mass incidents or riots and protests sparked by environmental problems have been rising at a rate of 30% per year. At the same time, the boom in metals prices has made investment in mines and smelters very profitable and dangerously polluting plants have sprung up across the Chinese countryside.
Local officials, who worry about losing a large taxpayer and employer and may even have a stake in the projects, often turn a blind eye to safety and environmental violations.
According to statistics from the China Daily, a child who ingests large amounts of lead may develop anemia, muscle weakness and brain damage. Where poisoning occurs, it is usually gradual. The average level of lead in the blood of Chinese children is 5 times the acceptable level in the US.
