No pollution occurs in Songhua River
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-05-07 08:49
The benzene-related pollutants in northeast China's Songhua and Heilong
rivers remain at a safe level during the spring thaw period, China's State
Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said Saturday.
Polluted water in
Songhua River reaches Harbin, the capital of northeastern Heilongjiang
province November 24, 2005. [Reuters] |
"The water quality in the Songhua and Heilong rivers is steady and no
pollution has occurred," read a statement from the SEPA.
The thaw period had finished, but the benzene, nitrobenzene and aniline
contents in the two rivers did not exceed the national standards of both China
and Russia, said the SEPA.
The Songhua River, a tributary of the Heilong River which is also called Amur
River in Russia, was heavily polluted last year after a chemical plant explosion
upstream on November 13, causing some 100 tons of benzene-related pollutants to
spill into the river and endangering the water supply for millions of residents
along the river.
Since then, Chinese environmental protection departments have been closely
monitoring the changes of water quality in the two rivers. China and Russia have
also conducted several joint monitoring exercises.
From March 4 to 22, the two sides took samples of water, ice and silt from
the different sections of Songhua River and found benzene-related pollutants did
not exceed the national standards of China and Russia, according to the
statement.
"At present, China and Russia are discussing how to enhance environmental
protection along the rivers bordering the two countries," said the statement.
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