An electric car factory in China caused neighbors to bleed. It was not an isolated case

Hundreds of residents and locals demonstrated a few days ago at the gates of automaker BYD’s production facility in Changsha, China. Motifs? Neighborhood kids started bleeding from their noses mysteriously. Authorities are investigating China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, which has been accused of emitting harmful pollutants into the air.

Neighborhood residents complained of a pungent odor that had permeated the neighborhood since April. It was not an isolated case.

symptoms. More than 700 children living near automaker BYD’s production facility in Changsha have suffered repeated nosebleeds since then. This is indicated by a survey conducted by residents of the Yuhua area, which found that more than 100 people living near the factory suffer from multiple nosebleeds per day, with 90% of them under the age of 12. “Toxins are poisoning people day and night,” the protesters explained in a video shared on social media.

Nausea and skin rashes. Some adults said they developed symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and a persistent cough, in addition to reporting nosebleeds and skin rashes in children. “It’s particularly irritating at night: the air smells like burning wire,” one woman said. Her 4-year-old daughter suffered from nosebleeds three times in the past week and complained of headaches. “I don’t know what the long-term consequences will be,” she complained.

Investigation. The Changs government said it has set up a task force of independent assessment agencies and experts to investigate the factory. According to documents shared by environmental group Greenpeace Asia, the factory in Changsha had previously violated sewage discharge regulations in 2017. In September, a random inspection by the local ministry of ecology and environment found that the plant’s sources of pollution were automatically monitored and managed. was not up to standards and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exceeded regulatory standards.

As a result, it was placed on a government watch list. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to VOCs can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation and nausea, as well as an allergic skin reaction. A 2019 study in Beijing found some correlations between air pollutants and the incidence of nosebleeds in children.

The company denies this. BYD denies that emissions from the car factory cause nosebleeds in children. The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker said emissions from its factory in the southeast of the country “complied with country standards and regulations”, while admitting that the factory could cause odors in the area. an official statement.

They also explained in that statement that the rumors were “malicious fabrication” and that they had reported the matter to the police and would take legal action.

Build Your Dreams. BYD has been hailed as the first Chinese automaker to stop producing cars with only internal combustion engines. The move comes in response to the government’s goal of, paradoxically, peaking carbon emissions by 2030. “The accusations against the company remind us that reducing carbon emissions does not mean that manufacturers can neglect the environmental impact of their production processes,” said Bao Hang, project leader for Greenpeace Asia in Beijing.

stocks down. Founded in 1995 as a manufacturer of batteries, the company began car production in 2003 and has since grown into the country’s leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles. The company’s total vehicle sales increased by 423% in the first quarter of this year. It led China’s NEV market with a share of approximately 30% in February.

Now things have changed. Some production lines in the factory stopped. Shares of the company have fallen more than 5% since last Friday. On top of all that, a company that has recently been hampered by supply chain issues and tight coronavirus restrictions in China is weighing on the company.