Chinalco Subsidiary in Guangxi caught for violating environmental regulations and polluting the surroundings

China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has alleged the state-run Aluminium Corp of China (Chinalco) for repeatedly violating environmental regulations at a plant in Guangxi.

A week earlier, a central government environmental inspection team found that affiliates of the Chinalco subsidiary Guangxi Nonferrous Rare Earth Development Co Ltd seriously violated environmental norms, resulting in polluting the surrounding area. The inspection team discovered the subsidiary was running outdated and illegal facilities for producing above and beyond the amount of nonferrous ore allowed by law.

“The inspection found […] obvious problems of legal violations, chaotic environmental management and relatively large environmental risks at the Guangxi rare earth company,” the ministry said in a statement released last Wednesday.

Chinalco spokesman could not be reached for his immediate comment, but according to the report, the company accepted the allegation and promised to resolutely rectify the noted violations.

Guangxi Nonferrous was previously punished for environmental violations in 2018 along with Chinalco's subsidiary in northwestern China.

Beijing initiated a nationwide audit programme four years ago and since then had been expanding to giant state-owned companies. This year’s audits were wide ranging and included China National Building Materials Corp. MEE found latter instead of rectifying the violations tried to cover them up.