Environment agency orders work halted at Chengdu instant noodle maker

CHENGDU, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- A joint venture for making instant noodles in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan, suspended production after it was found to be causing pollution.

Sichuan Jinmailang Food (Chengdu) Ltd. Co. has shut down all six of its production lines in Pengzhou City, Chengdu, and is collecting the waste products for treatment, according to local environment watchdog.

"We have requested that all the waste be transported by tanker to the treatment plants. [The company] will not resume production without approval from the provincial Environment Protection Administration," said Xue Xi, an official with the Sichuan Environmental Monitoring Team.

The provincial administration found the company had started production before its environmental protection facilities were inspected. It also found the company had discharged major pollutants. The administration ordered an immediate shutdown and a fine of 100,000 yuan (13,755 U.S. dollars) on Jan. 4.

The State Environmental Protection Administration on Tuesday named Jinmailang and two other multinationals as those who were discharging excessive pollutants or causing noise pollution.

Jinmailang Food (Chengdu) Ltd. Co. is a subsidiary of Nissin Hualong Food Co, a joint venture with one of the world's leading instant noodle producers, Nissin.