\nSeven children — the youngest of which is just over one year old — are being treated in hospital and the others are being monitored at home.<\/p>\n
Local officials said a preliminary investigation had revealed a firm making lead out of used batteries — Longchang Zhongyi Alloy Company — could be the cause of the health scare.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear how the residents were poisoned but officials are currently testing surface and well water, vegetables and soil within 800 metres of the plant.<\/p>\n
It is the latest in a series of lead poisoning incidents across China that has highlighted the human cost of pollution in a nation that has so far prioritised economic growth over environmental protection.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pollution from a nearby factory has caused lead poisoning in almost 100 people in Sichuan, including 88 children. From AFP: Seven children — the youngest of which is just over one year old — are being treated in hospital and the others are being monitored at home. Local officials said a preliminary investigation had revealed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[132,6,5],"tags":[8548,1119,3728],"class_list":["post-52574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environmental-crisis","category-sci-tech","category-society","tag-childrens-health","tag-industrial-pollution","tag-lead-poisoning","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
China Factory Closed Amid Lead Poisoning Fears<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n