China: Chemicals in the Yangtze River, a “drinkable water” alert in Shanghai

Beijing (AsiaNews/agencies)-Shanghai authorities are on the alert after a chemical leak polluted the Yangtze River, the main source of fresh water for the most populous metropolis in China. The Shanghai Daily reports that at the moment there are no "health threats"; however, Chen Wei, Director of the local Department for Environmental Protection, stressed that the city is ready to close its main reservoir, at the mouth of the river, if "abnormal" levels of chemical agents are detected.

Government officials in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, explained that last week some analyses confirmed the presence of phenol - an acid used for the production of nylon and detergents - in the water. The cause, experts say, could have been a spill from a South Korean boat. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Zhenjiang and surrounding towns have stocked up on bottles of drinking water, after some residents noticed a "bad smell" coming from the taps.

Environmental pollution, along with food and beverage contamination, are among the most serious problems faced by an industrialized China, in continual growth on the economic and commercial level. Last month a potentially carcinogenic cadmium leak from an industrial mine contaminated two rivers in the Southern part of the country. The authorities have alerted the 3.7 million people in Liuzhou, in the Guangxi region, inviting them to not drink water from the river.
On several occasions the government of Beijing has promised to combat the leakage of contaminants and toxic gases, coming from factories and livestock farms; it is a problem that concerns large parts of the country. However, more often than not these assurances have proven empty promises, partly because local officials are more interested in boosting the economy and reaping greater profits than preserving the environment for future generations.