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  Shenyang, Liaoning, China
 Site Description
 Human Exposure & Health Impact
 Site Progress


Site Description 

Location & Size of Site
Shenyang is the capital of the northeastern Liaoning province. It is a highly industrialized city and ranks 11th in the list of Chinese cities with worst air quality.

The Shenyang smelter founded in 1936 was a giant non-ferrous metal smelter with more than 50 products including copper, lead, gold, zinc and silver. In August 2000, Shenyang authorities shut it down claiming that the plant was responsible for more than 40% of sulfur dioxide emissions within the city amounting to 74,000 tons, 98% of lead particulate emissions, and 66.8 tons of heavy metals each year.

There was talk of the Shenyang Industrial and Technologies Co. (formerly Shenyang Smelter) resuming operations in 2003 by relocating the smelter from its urban location to a suburban site. Another report mentions that the smelter has been demolished.

Contaminant Type, Source & Quantity
The main pollutants are lead, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter.

Human Exposure & Health Impact 
Men living within 1 km of the factory's central stacks were found to have elevated risks of lung cancer. Soil concentrations of arsenic and other heavy metals rose closer to the smelter. The smelter workers were three times more likely to protract lung cancer than the general population.

Number of Potentially Affected People
Approximately 7 million.

Health Impact of Pollutant
High incidence of lung cancer is found among the inhabitants of Shenyang.

Site Progress 

December 2004: Site reviewed by the Technical Advisory Board. Blacksmtih Institute will visit this site.