Chinese-Owned Factory in Laos Causes Health Scare, Foul Smells in Nearby Villages

[misskit]

A Chinese-owned factory in Laos that recently started operations is causing noise and air pollution that affect the health of nearby residents in the country’s Bolikhamxay province.


The factory, which produces packing foam for use in transporting bananas, is made up of one building situated on a hectare of land in Bolikhamxay’s Paskanh district. More than ten households have reported that the factory is noisy and that they must endure awful smells when it is in operation between 6 a.m. and midnight.


“The Chinese factory is quite close to our communities. It smells like a gas burner, but very strong,” a resident of nearby Thong Ngai village told RFA’s Lao Service.


“The villagers feel so uneasy. It is unbearable. Many of us have sore noses and eyes and we can’t stand the constant noise either,” the source said.


The villager told RFA that the factory began operations on Oct. 10, but its owners did not have a permit from the district or the province. It has continued to operate every day since.


Village level authorities reported the issue to the provincial people’s assembly, but the issue has not been resolved. They now want the authorities to take action.


A provincial official from the planning and investment department told RFA that the factory’s owner did attempt to obtain permits for the factory, but the provincial authorities were against it.


“It would be too close to a dense community. The factory was supposed to be relocated to a new location, but it is still in the same place and [the owners] did not report to us,” the official said.


Another provincial official, from the natural resources and environment department told RFA that his department has been trying to stop the factory’s operations as long as they are nearby the village.


“We did not give them permission for this factory from the start,” the environmental official said.


“The business owner proceeded without our approval. We sent out a notice ordering him to choose a more suitable spot, because the current location is not suitable. It is too close to a community and it affects them,” the official added.


The environmental official said his department inspected the factory three times, finding that the strong odor is from melting plastic. The department has ordered the factory to close, but the factory owners are ignoring this.


RFA was not able to reach the owners of the factory.


The official said the department will refer the matter to provincial authorities because a female worker was killed by plastic fumes.


“We think we will ask the provincial governor to take strict measures like cutting off power so they can’t continue operating,” the official said.


“Or they can bring the police in because there’s already been one death at the factory, so they need to take responsibility for it and shut it down,” he added.


https://www.rfa.org/english/news/lao...019161418.html

[harrybarracuda]

Fucking chinkies at it again.

The department has ordered the factory to close, but the factory owners are ignoring this.

You can do that when you pay good bribes.

[taxexile]

Fucking chinkies at it again.

yet we are all happy to continue empowering their economic arrogance by buying the shite that they endlessly produce.

only trump stands up to them.

[beerlaodrinker]

I for 1 actually take a stand tax.. Im sick of buying there chinese tat which usually lasts as long as my my love for a whore when ive just cum. They are the scourge of asia a blight on the landscape. Etc etc. I see the made in china label... fook off ya phony coontys

[harrybarracuda]

yet we are all happy to continue empowering their economic arrogance by buying the shite that they endlessly produce.

only trump stands up to them.

Only the bald orange cunto stands up to them by essentially putting taxes on the goods his citizens buy, and sending the Chinkies off elsewhere to buy soybeans, etc.

Yeah, so much winning.

[taxexile]

^
surprised it took you so long.

[Klondyke]

Fucking chinkies at it again.

It would not happen if the owners are HK people...

[jabir]

HKites are civilised Chinese, just as Canadians are civilised Americans and Kiwis civilised Aussies; imho.

[OhOh]

we can’t stand the constant noise either,” the source

it is in operation between 6 a.m. and midnight.

Sounds like they have 6 hours of peace every night. Some places are billed as "the city that never sleeps".

A provincial official from the planning and investment department told RFA

Another provincial official,

It appears the alleged bribes, passed by the "unidentified provincials".

a female worker was killed by plastic fumes.

Alternate explanation RFA failed to investigate.

"The village woman had attended the induction class, but chatted to her friend instead of listening", her (unidentified) co-worker said. "It was too hot in the afternoon, she took her mask off". "We were all told that it was a dangerous environment to work in, she wasn't paying attention at all."

RFA was not able to reach the owners of the factory.

Oh dear, RFA accepting "hearsay" as fact once again.

[OhOh]

as Canadians are civilised Americans

Visit Alberta and you may change your opinion. Guns, Stetsons and cattle. Very similar to Texas.

[harrybarracuda]

Alternate explanation RFA failed to investigate.

"The village woman had attended the induction class, but chatted to her friend instead of listening", her (unidentified) co-worker said. "It was too hot in the afternoon, she took her mask off". "We were all told that it was a dangerous environment to work in, she wasn't paying attention at all."

Oh dear, RFA accepting "hearsay" as fact once again.

Says HoHo, posting fanciful tales without links.

[OhOh]

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/lao...019161418.html

fanciful tales

My "fanciful tale", has as many "facts" as MK's post.

[harrybarracuda]

My "fanciful tale", has as many "facts" as MK's post.

Except it doesn't, as they correctly reported "a female worker was killed by plastic fumes" and you came up with some unattributed story.

[OhOh]

a female worker was killed by plastic fumes

I suspect the "why and how" was "lost in translation".

you came up with some unattributed story.

Which is as deficient of named witnesses as MK's/RFA's, but at lease my story presents a regional scenario. It's what the TD investigative detectives revel in occasionally, for a recent example, the "drowned" female holiday maker.

Care to highlight in the MK's "story", the actual names and the positions/locations of the "officials" and "locals" which MK's post are referring to as "witnesses" to the alleged death due to "plastic fumes"?

Even Thai press reports names names and sometimes a policeman pointing at the "evidence/culprit/scene of crime".

But RFA seem to believe the rest of the world is a gullible as it's native ameristanis.

Follow the money and unveil the decision makers.

Mission

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https://www.rfa.org/about/

[misskit]

After Hearing Complaints, Authorities in Laos Shut Down Chinese Factory

Authorities in Laos have suspended operations of a Chinese-owned foam packing material factory, citing its impact on the environment and people who live nearby.


Located in the province’s Paksan district, the factory, which has been in operation since mid-October, makes foam trays that are sold to Chinese plantations for use in transporting bananas.


The factory emits noxious fumes that residents say is causing illnesses.


“The factory makes a really bad smell and it has made 10 families sick. They feel pain in their noses and it irritates their eyes,” a resident of the district’s Xoun village told RFA’s Lao Service on Tuesday.


A resident of Banthong village in the same district representing the villagers attended a meeting with local authorities on Monday.


“Both the district and province ordered this factory to stop operations today because the plant is too close to the community,” the village representative said.


“The authorities also ordered the plant to move to new location far away from the villages. As for where they will relocate, the plant owner has to talk to the provincial industry and trade department,” the representative added.


An official of the Bolikhamxay Administration Office also confirmed the suspension.


“At the meeting we agreed to suspend the operation of this plant. The reason is that the plant has failed to minimize its impact on the environment,” the official told RFA.


“[Authorities] saw the situation themselves. They also ordered the plant to be relocate,” the official added.


An official of the provincial planning and investment department said the plant wants to postpone relocation until a suitable area to relocate has been found.


“The plant is requesting 20 days for relocation. The district and province will discuss the request soon,” the planning official said.


But a local health professional expressed concern over the toxicity of the foam production process.


“Foam is like plastic. It is dangerous to our lungs and our respiratory system. It can cause lung cancer, a disease that is incurable and even deadly for the elderly,” the health official said.


RFA reported on Dec. 4 that residents in another village were dealing with the factory’s fumes and excessive noise between 6 a.m and midnight on a daily basis.


A source in that report said that the factory had claimed the life of one worker.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/lao...019110104.html