China Shutters Solar Panel Plant

(Haining, Zhejiang Province, China) A solar panel manufacturing plant has been ordered closed after violent protesters broke into and ransacked the factory for three days on concerns over pollution.

The closure of the plant, owned by the US-listed company Jinko Solar, comes weeks after authorities in the northeastern city of Dalian shut down a chemical factory after some 12,000 residents took to the streets over pollution fears.

It demonstrates official concern over the growing public anger about pollution in China, where an emphasis on economic growth over the past three decades has led to widespread environmental degradation.

The protesters in Zhejiang’s Haining city were demanding an explanation for the death of large numbers of fish in a nearby river, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.

Haining’s city government said Monday tests had showed the plant in Zhejiang’s Haining city was emitting excessive levels of fluoride, which can be toxic in high doses, as it announced the plant’s closure.

The authorities are working to calm the public while concurrently going after social networking types who spread "rumours" on the Internet.