A company in Hebei has been placed under criminal investigation for illegally producing bromoxynil and dumping more than 3,000 tons of waste acid.

Release Date:

2020-05-15

5 On the 14th of the month, the reporter According to the Xingtai Municipal Public Security Bureau in Hebei Province, in late March this year, two consecutive cases of illegal dumping of large quantities of highly acidic waste liquid—resulting in environmental pollution—occurred in the area. Following an intensive investigation by the public security authorities, a criminal gang involved in environmental pollution—comprising 22 members—was successfully dismantled. The case also revealed illegally dumped waste acid. Liquid 3,414.5 tons ……

Police from the task force traveled to Shijiazhuang, Cangzhou, Beijing, Anhui, and other locations, and on March 29 identified the suspects and the vehicles involved. On the afternoon of March 30, they apprehended the suspects, Lü Moufei and Wang Moufei, and seized 31 tons of undischarged waste liquid from Lü Moufei’s semi-trailer truck and a small van.

Subsequently, the task force identified the source of the pollution as a certain biotechnology company in Hebei Province, located in the Weixian Economic Development Zone, and established the facts of the case.

Investigation has revealed that, without obtaining a pesticide production license, the company illegally manufactured the pesticide bromcyhalin in pursuit of substantial profits. During the production process, it generated highly corrosive acidic waste, which was subsequently classified as hazardous waste by a judicial authority. The company’s de facto controller, Li Moucheng, instructed General Manager Liu Mou to dispose of the waste acid generated in the unauthorized production of bromcyhalin, entrusting its treatment to Lü Moufei at a price of RMB 230 per ton, ultimately leading to the discovery of the case.

From March 29, 2019, until the incident occurred, the criminal gang illegally dumped waste liquid at 13 locations across seven counties (districts)—Xingtai County, Nanhe, Longyao, Ren County, Qiaodong, Qiaoxi, and the Development Zone—totaling 230 truckloads and 3,414.5 tons.

At present, 19 suspects have been apprehended and placed under coercive measures on suspicion of the crime of environmental pollution; three individuals are wanted online, and the assets involved have been frozen, sealed, or seized as appropriate.

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According to surveys and statistics from the China Chemical Information Center, in China, inorganic waste acids account for approximately 35% of total waste acids, while organic waste acids make up about 65%; waste acids with a concentration of 40% or higher comprise roughly 46% of the total. In recent years, the chemical industry in China has consumed approximately 23 million tons of sulfuric acid annually. Assuming that 40% to 50% of this sulfuric acid participates in reactions to form new substances, with the remainder generating waste acid at concentrations ranging from 20% to 60%, the annual production of waste acids across various concentrations is estimated at around 40 million tons, making the chemical industry one of the largest contributors to waste acid generation. Additionally, the metalworking and pickling sectors consume 2.45 million tons of sulfuric acid per year; given the low concentration of waste acid in these industries—typically below 5%—and assuming that 50% of the sulfuric acid involved in the process ends up as waste acid, approximately 25 million tons of waste acid are generated annually.

It is understood that waste acid poses a far greater threat to groundwater than typical chemical industrial wastewater. Specifically, as waste acid percolates into the subsurface, it reacts with heavy metals in rocks and soils, leaching them into rivers or groundwater and causing severe contamination. It also reacts with sulfites and sulfides in rocks and soils, releasing harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Furthermore, if improperly managed, waste acid used in the production of fertilizers—such as phosphate fertilizers, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and organic fertilizers—can introduce hazardous substances into the soil, leading to organic‑matter pollution. Irrigating with water contaminated by waste acid can acidify the soil; in acidic conditions, heavy metals become more bioavailable and readily absorbed by plants, posing a significant risk to food safety.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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