Changzhou Foreign Languages School controversy

The Changzhou Foreign Languages School controversy concerns environmental issues at the relocated campus of Changzhou Foreign Languages High School (CZFLS; Chinese: 常州外国语学校; pinyin: Chángzhōu wàiguóyǔ xuéxiào), a school in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. The new campus neighbors former premises of chemical factories, and students complained of rashes, nosebleeds, and a pervasive smell throughout the building upon its opening.

In 2016, state broadcaster Chinese Central Television (CCTV) broadcast reports claiming pollution was negatively affecting students' health. According to the broadcast, of 641 pupils who underwent medical examinations, 493 were diagnosed with ailments such as bronchitis, blood and thyroid abnormalities, and in extreme cases, lymphoma and leukemia. Levels of chlorobenzene in groundwater were reportedly over 94,000 times the national safety standard. Following the reports, news of the illnesses spread across Chinese social media; on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, the topic was viewed over 30 million times.

Changzhou Foreign Languages School was relocated to a new 153-acre site in September 2015. Before the school was relocated, three chemical factories occupied area near the modern CZFLS campus: Changyu, Huada, and Changlong, a subsidiary of the large Chinese pesticide manufacturer Shenzhen Noposion Agrochemicals Company. Reports by Caixin, a Chinese magazine, quoted former Jiangsu Changlong employees who claimed the company had buried toxic waste at the site of the factory prior to its relocation in 2010. An environmental assessment, completed seven months after the school began construction, found no problem with the school's relocation, although it deemed groundwater unsafe for consumption. A separate survey in 2012 found dangerous levels of toxic substances; chlorobenzene levels were 78,899 times safe levels in soil and 94,799 times those in groundwater. In December 2015, students began to complain of rashes and nosebleeds. At the time, soil was being excavated for treatment, which left a heavy stench in the area. These reports prompted CZFLS to end its autumn semester earlier than usual in January. The soil was then buried beneath a layer of clay to relieve concerns regarding pollution. The school released a statement in mid-February, citing a report by Caixin which deemed the clay cover safe.

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