China makes slow progress on safety
Government policy drive continues, as self-regulation also grows
Chemical industry strategy in China has traditionally emphasised growth over safety and environmental protection. Since the August 2015 Tianjin explosion, which killed over 170 people and injured hundreds more, China has witnessed several major chemical incidents, mainly attributed to lack of proper safety measures in the factories and poor implementation of safety standards by the authorities. The latest incident occurred in March 2019, when an explosion at a plant in eastern China eventually claimed over 60 lives.
The authorities’ initial response has been to relocate chemical plants away from residential areas. Plants are also being upgraded, and more comapnies are signing up to voluntary safety standards such as the Responsible Care programme.