CFP
AsianFin -- Authorities in central China’s Hunan province are investigating abnormal thallium concentrations detected in the Leishui River, the largest tributary of the Xiangjiang River that flows into the Yangtze River, according to environmental monitoring data.
The Emergency and Accident Investigation Center of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment has dispatched personnel to assist with the response, ensuring local drinking water safety.
Officials from the Hunan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment confirmed that the source of the contamination has been identified, though it is not related to a thallium-producing enterprise. Responsibility is still being determined, and further details have not yet been disclosed.
The Vice Director for the provincial emergency monitoring and accident investigation has also led an expert team heading to Chenzhou City to oversee the situation. According to a government notice from Yongxing County, abnormal thallium levels were first detected on March 16 at the Leishui cross-city monitoring station. In response, a Level IV Emergency Alert was issued at midnight on March 17 to mitigate risks and protect downstream drinking water supplies. Residents in the country were advised against using the tap water for food-related purposes sourced from the Leishui River for about two weeks.
On March 23, the Chenzhou municipal government confirmed that while water quality in certain sections of the river had been affected, emergency measures were quickly activated, and downstream drinking water remained safe. Authorities pledged to strengthen monitoring and implement further safeguards.
Thallium contamination has been a recurring issue in the Xiangjiang River Basin. In 2021, a national environmental inspection revealed excessive thallium discharge from industrial facilities in Hengyang City’s Songmu Industrial Park. From 2020 to 2021, 17 of 22 drinking water sources along the Xiangjiang River showed thallium anomalies. Additionally, other heavy metals, including cadmium and arsenic, have been detected at excessive levels in various parts of Hunan.
Thallium, a colorless and odorless metal, is found in lead, zinc, iron, and copper ores. Due to its toxic properties, it poses a significant risk of acute and chronic poisoning.
Hunan launched a special campaign in late 2020 to address thallium pollution. In 2021, the province also incorporated heavy metal pollution control into its environmental protection plans, focusing on industries handling thallium and cadmium.
Last year, authorities in Yiyang City, Hunan province, have launched an investigation into seven local companies after reports surfaced that a batch of cadmium-contaminated rice from the city was destroyed in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan province.
A total of 99,425 kilograms of rice was disposed in connection with 15 cases of food safety violations. 13 cases involved excessive levels of heavy metals, primarily cadmium, leading to the seizure of 77,350 kilograms of contaminated rice. The incidents occurred between April and July 2019 and were linked to seven rice producers, all based in Heshan District, Yiyang City, Hunan province.
