Zhejiang solar panel plant protest
Encyclopedia
The Zhejiang solar panel plant protest occurred over 3 days at Zhejiang Jinko Solar company in Haining City, Zhejiang province in September 2011 due to fears about pollution
from the factory contaminating the local environment. The factory is located close to a school and kindergarten.
Around 500 people participated in the protest, and riot police were brought in to remove the protesters. The protest began on a Thursday when protesters stormed the compound and overturned vehicles. The protest was initially repelled, but the protesters camped out at the front gate of the factory until riot police arrived on the following Sunday. The Haining City government said in a news release that 20 people were arrested on charges of destruction of property, robbery
and disturbing public order.
A Xinhua News report quoted a government official saying that the factory has failed pollution-control tests since April. Government inspectors later found that water samples from a nearby river contained 10 times the acceptable amount of fluoride
, which was suspected to have killed fish and pigs in the area.
After the protests, the plant was shut down and fined about $74,000. JinkoSolar Holding Company is a Chinese firm with more than 10,000 employees, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
. The factory manufactures solar panels, cells and wafers.
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
from the factory contaminating the local environment. The factory is located close to a school and kindergarten.
Around 500 people participated in the protest, and riot police were brought in to remove the protesters. The protest began on a Thursday when protesters stormed the compound and overturned vehicles. The protest was initially repelled, but the protesters camped out at the front gate of the factory until riot police arrived on the following Sunday. The Haining City government said in a news release that 20 people were arrested on charges of destruction of property, robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
and disturbing public order.
A Xinhua News report quoted a government official saying that the factory has failed pollution-control tests since April. Government inspectors later found that water samples from a nearby river contained 10 times the acceptable amount of fluoride
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
, which was suspected to have killed fish and pigs in the area.
After the protests, the plant was shut down and fined about $74,000. JinkoSolar Holding Company is a Chinese firm with more than 10,000 employees, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. The factory manufactures solar panels, cells and wafers.