Protesters force closure of Dalian chemical plant

(Xinhua)

08:01, August 15, 2011

A damaged dyke, built to protect the Fujia Chemical Plant, is seen after a storm battered the port city of Dalian last Monday. Authorities in Dalian ordered the plant, which makes toxic petrochemical paraxylene, to be shut down immediately yesterday after thousands of people demonstrated, demanding relocation of the factory over fears that flooding could result in a spill of toxic chemicals. The government also pledged to relocate the plant.(Xinhua Photo)
A chemical plant in Dalian in northeast China has been ordered to shut immediately after 12,000 residents took to the streets over concerns of potential toxic chemical leaks.

Dalian authorities yesterday also pledged to relocate the controversial Fujia Chemical Plant, in a statement issued just six hours after the protest began in the port city.

A small crowd gathered in front of government buildings at around 10am yesterday and quickly grew from there. 

Protesters chanted "Fujia, get out!" and "Serve the people," sang the national anthem and displayed banners printed with the phrases "We want to survive" and "We want a good environment."

There were scuffles with police, although there were no reports of injuries. At one point, protesters threw bottles of mineral water at police who had tried to cordon off a section of a main road that passes near the square.

Before giving the order to shut the plant, Dalian's Communist Party chief Tang Jun and Mayor Li Wancai had tried to appease the crowd by promising to move the plant, but protesters demanded a clear timetable for relocation.

The plant is a producer of paraxylene (PX), a carcinogenic petrochemical used to create raw materials for the production of polyester film and fabrics.

Calls to relocate the plant mounted last week after waves whipped up by tropical storm Muifa breached a dike built to protect the plant from floodwaters. Residents were concerned that a flood could damage the plant and cause it to release toxic chemicals.

The breached dike has been repaired and no chemical leaks have been reported, but demands for relocation still gathered steam. Calls for street protests rapidly circulated on the Internet.
Yesterday's protest resembled a similar move by residents in China's southeastern city of Xiamen in 2007 to call for the relocation of a Taiwanese-funded PX plant. It was moved out of the city.

Like Xiamen, Dalian is a coastal city known for its sandy beaches and clean air.

"Dalian is China's 'garden city.' The plant, located only 20 kilometers from the city center, is like a time bomb," said a protester surnamed Wang. "If it is not moved now, Dalian will be destroyed."

The city government held an emergency meeting on August 9 to discuss relocation plans and it ordered a thorough assessment of the plant's safety with a report backed by "scientific and responsible" explanations.

The plant, approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in 2005, is a joint venture between the state-owned Dalian Chemical Group and the private Fujia Group, a local real estate giant.

One of China's largest PX producers, the plant went into operation in 2009 and is capable of producing 700,000 tons of the compound annually, according to the company's website. It contributes 2 billion yuan (US$311.6 million) to the local government in tax every year.

Internet users in Dalian said facilities such as the PX plant should be located 100 kilometers away from cities. The Fujia plant is only 20km from the city center.

"There were already doubts and controversy when the project was approved and started operation," an Internet user said. "But many more people simply did not know such a project was being constructed in their neighborhood." 

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