Battery plant fears addressed

Songjiang district government has claimed that a lithium ion battery factory to be built in the district will not cause any pollution, in response to concern raised by local residents.

The factory will focus on physical production processes, including lithium cell production and battery assembly, rather than chemical processes, according to a letter released by the government at a press conference Friday.

Last Sunday afternoon, a caravan of more than 40 cars bearing green ribbons reportedly drove around Songjiang district for more than two hours to protest the construction of the factory by Hefei Guoxuan High-tech Power Energy Co Ltd. It will be sited on a 9.3-hectare plot in the Songjiang Industrial Park in Xiaokunshan town.

A professor at Fudan University and an expert in the field, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Global Times there was little danger that heavy metals from the plant would contaminate the soil or water, while any waste gas would pose no threat if treated properly.

The district government response letter also said that the factory will discharge 5 tons of waste water each day, which will be treated to make it safe. However, this contradicts an evaluation report by the Shanghai Research Institute of Chemical Industry issued in November 2012, which said the plant would release no waste water.

A consultant at the Songjiang Environmental Protection Bureau accounted for the discrepancy by telling the Global Times that the statement issued in November had been "further improved after gathering other suggestions and public comments, so it is normal for there to be small differences between the final evaluation result with the one issued previously."

Songjiang government denied Saturday the rumor that the battery factory will be the largest lithium ion production base in eastern China. The local government also welcomed residents to visit the site.

It added that, as of the end of Saturday, 20 residents had taken up its invitation to visit.