At least 5,000 residents of a Shanghai suburb protested today over a report that a petrochemical plant may be moved to their neighbourhood, although authorities dismissed the report as untrue.
The protest reflected growing public concern about the environmental impact of projects such as petrochemical plants, as well as the public's deep distrust of local governments.
Over the past several years, residents of many Chinese cities have taken to the streets to oppose environmentally hazardous projects, a method they believe to be the most effective in influencing local officials who often shut the public out of decision-making.
Under police watch, thousands of demonstrators gathered today evening outside the local government compound in Jinshan district, holding up banners and chanting slogans against the possible relocation of a paraxylene plant to a planned chemical zone in Jinshan. Paraxylene is a hazardous chemical used to produce fibers and plastics.
The district government issued a statement saying the plant, now in Pudong district, would not be relocated but closed down.
The government held a public session earlier today at which officials assured residents that the planned chemical zone would be properly managed. It also urged the public not to assemble illegally and not to believe in rumours or spread them.
Exposure to paraxylene can cause eye, nose and throat irritation. In April, six people were hospitalised after an explosion at a paraxylene plant in Fujian province.
