Shanghai port polluted by petrochemical leak

15-Jan-13

Improper loading resulted in a petrochemical leak that has polluted a port in Shanghai, as per Xinhua. Workers at the Jueshi Port failed to fully shut down a valve while loading C9, a dangerous petrochemical, onto a cargo ship around 10 a.m. on Thursday, resulting in the chemical spilling into the port's waters, the municipal work safety administration said. Local residents reported a pungent odor near the port around 6:30 p.m., leadingauthorities to discover the leak. Three companies involved in the spill were found to have broken regulations pertainingto the sale, transport and loading of the chemical.A further investigation and environmental evaluation are both under way.