People's Daily says chemical paraxylene is no more harmful than coffee

The People's Daily ran a lengthy article yesterday saying paraxylene (PX) is no more harmful to people than coffee, in an apparent bid to "de-vilify" the controversial chemical that has led to several protests.

But the piece sparked scepticism and criticism online, with some people accusing the newspaper of deliberately ignoring the true reasons behind the protests - concern about the petrochemical industry's poor safety record and a lack of transparency involving decision-making and safety supervision by both the industry and local governments.

In its full-page coverage, the Communist Party's official mouthpiece said the public had exaggerated the dangers of PX projects, which are "flourishing globally", citing sources from the powerful petrochemical sector.

Lu Dapeng, a spokesman for China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec), the country's largest oil refiner, told the newspaper that PX was "a transparent, colourless liquid with a fragrant smell, and even tastes slightly sweet".

And contrary to the perception that PX is highly toxic, the daily said PX was no more harmful than coffee, in terms of the cancer risk to people, citing the International Agency for Research on Cancer, under the World Health Organisation.

Documents on the agency's website show there is inadequate evidence to conclude that PX is carcinogenic, while coffee is "possibly carcinogenic to the human urinary bladder".

The "mild chemical" irritates eyes and the respiratory system when people are overexposed, and long-term exposure can lead to headaches, depression and insomnia.