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China has pollution accident almost every two days

There was a pollution accident once almost every two days in China last year, with authorities receiving 600,000 environmental complaints, state media reported on Thursday.

The number of complaints was up 30% over 2005, a State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) official was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency.

SEPA deputy director Pan Yue was quoted as saying that in addition to the 161 accidents last year, the administration also suspended 163 environment-damaging projects with a total investment of 770 billion yuan (US$96 billion). The projects included the construction of steel and power plants. "

Some of the projects did not apply for government approval before beginning construction, and some local governments provided highly polluting enterprises asylum in the blind pursuit of economic development," Pan said.

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Photo by Pat Rioux