Chinese fishing village fears contamination cover-up after chemical leak
- Official claims that sea and air quality meet health standards angrily rejected by affected residents
- Fish farmers facing huge losses as nearby markets reject their produce
Alarmed residents are crying foul days after they were assured seawater and air quality were up to standard following a chemical leak in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian.
Locals say there is still a strong odour in the air and oil stains in the fish farms of Quanzhou’s Quangang district in eastern Fujian and they are accusing officials of a cover-up.
The contamination occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning when residents were woken by a strong odour – “like stinky paint or something that burned for a long time”.
They were told later that day that nearly seven tonnes of C9 aromatics from the neighbouring Fujian Donggang Petrochemical Company had leaked during transfer between the wharf and a vessel when the connecting tube broke.
Concern soon turned to anger when assurances from the local environmental authorities failed to match what people in the area were experiencing.
On Sunday evening the Quangang District Environment and Protection Bureau advised that treatment of the contaminated area of the sea was “basically complete” and volatile organic compounds – a range of chemicals including some which are detrimental to health – were within safe levels.