Paint factory in Hunan town closed after state media reports 300 children suffer lead poisoning
Paint manufacturer closed after CCTV report that children living nearby had five times the national limit for the metal in their blood
A paint factory in Hunan province, which residents blame for lead poisoning in more than 300 children, has been shut following a state media report on Saturday, according to Xinhua.
Local authorities had allegedly protected the factory for years, with a town chief caught on tape by state media as saying the lead levels in children, which was up to five times the national limit, was likely the result of them chewing on pencils at school.
Su Genlin, the chief of Dapu town, told China Central Television that "when the children were studying in school … [they] put pencils in their mouth and bite, which can also lead to lead poisoning."
Higher authorities summoned Su to an "emergency meeting" yesterday, and he was likely to face punishment over his remark, one of his subordinates told the South China Morning Post yesterday.
Blaming the poisoning on pencils was "certainly inappropriate," the township official said, declining to be named. "We don't know what will happen [to Su]."
The meeting had not yet finished, the official said.