Article
Polluting children [China]
…Since…1,200 students of [a] school [in Yueqing, Zhejiang Province] had been studying at a new campus… 100 children…suffered from chest pains and vomiting. Another 19 suffered from nosebleeds and nausea…[T]here are dozens chemical factories and workshops. Among them, the emissions of at least 39 enterprises hadn't gained any approvals from the local environmental protection bureau, and six were being run without a license, the Xinhua News Agency reported…According to preliminary investigation results…local authorities have found chemicals including benzene and toluene…in the school…[and] chromic acid mist exceeding legal standards at the local factory of the Dongfang Plating Company, which processes various metals for metal coatings. Environmental experts point out that plating companies are often associated with pollution…But both the school and the company said these were irrelevant to the issue, the Guangzhou-based Nandu Daily reported Monday…A staff member from the company told the Nandu Daily that the company had "treated the waste gas properly."…[refers to Rosi Chemical Company]