BEIJING - A MAJOR state-owned industrial conglomerate in China said on Friday it had been ordered to stop production at one of its smelters after it was found to be leaking highly toxic thallium into a river.
Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet Co Ltd said in a statement that environmental authorities had found excess thallium in the middle and upper reaches of the Bei River in the southern province of Guangdong.
'It was determined through expert consultations, investigations and monitoring by environmental authorities that the excessive thallium was caused by sewage from the firm's smelter in Shaoguan city,' it said.
'The Shaoguan smelter completely stopped production on Oct 21 at the request of the provincial government, and is now actively coordinating with the government's investigations,' it added.
Thallium is a highly toxic metal that enters the environment mostly through coal-burning and smelting. It can affect the nervous system, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys, and even cause death.
China suffers from widespread water pollution after years of unbridled economic growth. According to government data, more than 200 million Chinese currently do not have access to safe drinking water.
Source: Straitstimes Online
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