Once again, there are large-scale pollution incidents in the Tengger desert! Recently, a case of illegal industrial sewage discharge at the edge of Tengger Desert, which was publicly reported by China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) volunteers, attracted the attention of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and has sent a working group to the scene of the incident for investigation and verification.

According to Mr. Zhang, a volunteer of the CBCGDF, in early October, he found at least five large-scale illegal pollution discharge points in the artificial forest area of Meili Paper Co., Ltd., Shapotou National Nature Reserve in Zhongwei City, Ningxia Autonomous Region, covering an area of nearly 100 square kilometers. These illegal dumps areas are buried under the thin sand layer. The color is dark, and the smell is pungent. The thickness of pollutants at some dumps is up to 1 meter. There are no anti-seepage measures at the site! Volunteers learned from local villagers that it was said that the black liquor from a local paper liquid was suspected. The pollution discharge point is 500 meters away from the core area of the Shapotou National Nature Reserve. Volunteers are worried about the pollution of the local rich groundwater.

In 2015, when large-scale pollution events were first discovered in Tengger Desert, CBCGDF filed an Environmental Public Interest Lawsuit (EPIL) with the Intermediate People’s Court of Zhongwei City in Ningxia on the illegal emission of eight enterprises. Since then, CBCGDF has organized the relevant lawyers, ecological experts, media and other investigation groups to conduct a sampling investigation in the Tengger Desert pollution area and understand the ecological restoration of the pollution area. After two years, the Environmental Public Interest Lawsuit was finally settled through mediation. Eight enterprises involved in the case have invested 569 million CNY to repair and prevent soil pollution in the early stage, and also undertaken 6 million CNY of a public welfare fund for environmental loss.

In September this year, Chinese government made it clear that the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin will rise to a national strategy along with the integrated development of “Jingjinji Metropolitan Region”, “Yangtze River Economic Belt”, “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area” and “Yangtze Delta Region”. The Yellow River Basin will also usher in a new round of development opportunities. In this context, it is shocking that illegal pollution “self-deception” events appearing again in Tengger Desert. CBCGDF will pay close attention to the progress of this case and hope to promote the resolution as soon as possible.

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4856/10387.html

By / Xue Tongtong