Mass protests this week over the planned construction of a molybdenum-copper alloy plant in Shifang , Sichuan province show that environmental concerns are becoming a leading cause of social unrest.
Authorities yesterday said they would scrap the 10.4 billion yuan (HK$12.7 billion) project, the subject of demonstrations by tens of thousands of Shifang residents.
The residents' deep-seated concerns about pollution and health risks have highlighted their growing distrust of local government and national environmental authorities, as the project had secured the approval of the Ministry of Environmental Protection in March.
Greenpeace campaigner Ma Tianjie said a toxic arsenic compound contained in the plant's solid waste posed a major health risk. In extreme cases, arsenic poisoning can lead to death or cause cancer.
Molybdenum, though not carcinogenic, can cause liver and kidney damage, and can also hamper bone development in children, while copper is extremely toxic to aquatic animals but less dangerous to people.
'The public's concerns were not unfounded, given the poor environmental record of the metal-smelting industry,' Ma said.
'Once the damage is done, it is long-lasting and not remediable.'