Battery manufacturer Johnson Controls is at the centre of huge controversy in Shanghai, China, over potential lead poisoning.
Production at two factories has been halted after 21 children in a residential area suffered lead poisoning and Ju Chunfang, a senior official from Pudong’s Environmental Protection Department, has pinpointed Johnson Controls as the likely source.
Of the 21 children confirmed to have high levels of lead in their blood, 10 have more than 250micrograms per litre and have been sent to Xinhau Hospital for treatment.
The report in The Global Times suggests that Johnson Controls has used 20,060 tons of lead during the past nine months.
However, Johnson Controls has issued a statement in response outlining that it has “no reason to believe we are the source of the issue”. Among the points highlighted in the statement were that it operates all of its facilities with the same standards and same practices globally and that the lead emission average at its Shanghai facility is about 1/7 of the Chinese national standard. It also outlines that its lead discharge through its waste water treatment facility is around 1/10 of Chinese national standard.
In addition, it commented that its plant employees are regularly tested to ensure that blood lead levels are sufficiently low and that its blood lead over 200ug/L rate is world class at 0.7 per cent.
