BEIJING, March 1 (UPI) -- The head of Shougang steel company, forced out of Beijing for excessive pollution, denied Tuesday its move to Hebei province would merely pass on the problem.
Long regarded as the biggest air polluter in China's capital, accounting for 70 percent of Beijing's air pollution by some estimates, Shougang received the go-ahead to move its dirtiest facilities to Hebei by 2010, according to Xinhua news agency.
The move was approved by the country's National Development and Reform Commission on Feb. 18, the state-run news agency said.
Board chairman Zhu Jimin was quoted as saying, "The move is not duplication in another city and Shougang will not transfer pollution to Hebei province."
Zhu said the foundry plans equipment upgrades and innovative technologies to minimize the environmental impact. The new facility will be at Caofeidian, an island in the Bohai Sea approximately 870 miles southeast of its present location. Caofeidian is under the jurisdiction of Hebei province.
