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.
"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 Nov. 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.
(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2006)