Cadmium pollution contained in S. China river

The cadmium pollution in Longjiang River in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which was caused by a spill from an industrial plant, has been controlled. No new leakage has been found, local environmental authorities said Sunday.

Firefighters work to put in chemicals made from dissolved aluminum chloride to neutralize the polluted Longjiang River in Hechi City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2012. [Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang]

The cadmium concentration in the Lalang section of the Longjiang River in Yizhou City, where the spill occurred, has been put within the restricted level, said Gan Jinglin, head of the environmental protection bureau of the downstream city of Liujiang.

Industrial waste from a local mining company spilt it into the Longjiang River, a tributary upstream of the Liujiang River which runs through Liujiang city, being detected on Jan. 15.

The cadmium pollutants have now reached the Luodong hydropower station on the Longjiang River, and still pose a threat to water safety in Liujiang, according to experts with the task force handling the incident.

"As the pollutants spread over a large section of Longjiang and are moving downstream, Liujiang is still under threat, but we are able to ensure safe drinking water to residents," Gan said.

"Even when pollutants flow into the Liujiang River, it takes 70 more hours to reach the source of the drinking water supply in Liujiang city, which means we have had time to take emergency response measures."

Cadmium is a carcinogenic chemical mostly used in industrial effluents.

An agent designed to promote the clumping-together of pollutants has been dumped into a dam on the Longjiang River to help dredging the matter.

The production of all seven heavy metal producers along the upstream section of the Longjiang River has been suspended in a bid to curb potential sources of new pollution.

Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co. Ltd. has been held responsible for the contamination.