Songhua River Polution and Control Songhua River Polution and Control in Harbin,Chinain Harbin,China

Dr. Wang Binyou Dr. Wang Binyou

Professor Professor Dept. of Epidemiology Dept. of Epidemiology

Harbin Medical University Harbin Medical University ChinaChina

wangby@public.hr.hl.cnwangby@public.hr.hl.cn

BackgroundBackground A massive chemical plant A massive chemical plant explosion took place in nexplosion took place in northeast China‘s Jilin prortheast China‘s Jilin province on Nov. 13,2005ovince on Nov. 13,2005 ，，and caused major contaand caused major contamination of the 1897 km mination of the 1897 km Songhua RiverSonghua River. .

About 100 tons of dangerous About 100 tons of dangerous chemicals benzene, chemicals benzene, nitrobenzene and other toxics nitrobenzene and other toxics to 10 tanker truck loads was to 10 tanker truck loads was spewed into the river, which spewed into the river, which supplies water to Harbin.supplies water to Harbin.

Harbin is a China's biggest Harbin is a China's biggest cities, capital of Heilongjiang cities, capital of Heilongjiang province.province.

Harbin is home to Harbin is home to nine million people, nine million people, including three including three million urban million urban residents. residents. Contaminating Contaminating water supplies for water supplies for up to four million up to four million

people.people.

*The Songhua River is a tributary of the Heilong River on the border between the Russian Far East and China.

Control measures Control measures

1,The government has 1,The government has launched an emergency plan launched an emergency plan to tackle the situation and for to tackle the situation and for water supplies to be restored. water supplies to be restored.

2, Supplies were cut off due to pol2, Supplies were cut off due to pollution of the Songhua River.lution of the Songhua River.

3, High school and Primary 3, High school and Primary schools were closed. schools were closed.

4 ， Hundreds of villagers have been evacuated from their homes along a river in northeast China after an explosion at a petrochemical plant upstream dumped 100 tons of toxic chemicals in the water

5,5, Most of the citizens have Most of the citizens have stored enough water.stored enough water.

66 ，， Government have got purifieGovernment have got purified water from other cities to ensurd water from other cities to ensure water supply in the city. e water supply in the city.

7, Harbin Supply & Drain Co. LTD have 7, Harbin Supply & Drain Co. LTD have

Cleaned up all the water tankers, Cleaned up all the water tankers, replaced the old filtering devices with replaced the old filtering devices with new ones and put in active carbon to new ones and put in active carbon to purify the water.purify the water.

8, Two reservoirs upstream 8, Two reservoirs upstream discharged an unusually huge discharged an unusually huge amount of water into the river amount of water into the river to dilute the toxic spill. to dilute the toxic spill.

9, The social environment of 9, The social environment of city was peace. About 10,000 city was peace. About 10,000 policemen patrolled the city's policemen patrolled the city's streets.streets.

• Most residents contMost residents cont

inued to work and sinued to work and shops and restauranhops and restaurants remained open dts remained open despite water supply espite water supply being cut off.being cut off.

10, Local hospitals had 10, Local hospitals had stockpiled antidotes to stockpiled antidotes to benzene-related benzene-related poisoning. The province poisoning. The province Governor ordered Governor ordered hospitals to brace for hospitals to brace for possible cases of possible cases of poisoning, while dozens poisoning, while dozens of wells were dug.of wells were dug.

11, Taught residents to 11, Taught residents to recognize the symptoms of recognize the symptoms of benzene poisoning, and gave benzene poisoning, and gave them some advice. them some advice.

12, All the city's wells were in 12, All the city's wells were in operation, and have drilled 45 more operation, and have drilled 45 more wells to supply water for the heating wells to supply water for the heating system in Harbin, where winter system in Harbin, where winter

temperatures can fall below -20temperatures can fall below -20oC.C.

13, The EPA enhanced 13, The EPA enhanced monitoring and predict of the monitoring and predict of the contaminated water. contaminated water.

14, Suggested the pollu14, Suggested the pollution level would drop sition level would drop significantly by the time ignificantly by the time it enters Russiat enters Russia ，， and rand reported the water monieported the water monitoring result to Russia.toring result to Russia.