Algae clean-up at sailing venue to take weeks - report
BEIJING (AFP) - A huge algae bloom at the Beijing Olympics' sailing venue will take at least another two weeks to eradicate despite more than 10,000 workers being used in the clean-up effort, state media reported.
The environmental problem off the coast of Qingdao has disrupted training for international competitors trying to get used to the conditions there, the Xinhua news agency, citing officials, said late on Sunday.
"We have stressed to all the people devoting to this campaign that the priority should (be) given to the Olympic venue and we expect to eliminate all these sea weeds before July 15th," Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee member Yuan Zhiping was quoted as saying on Sunday.
The algae has covered part of the training area and blocked parts of the sailing routes, Yuan was cited as saying.
More than 10,000 workers and 1,000 boats are cleaning up the bright green algae that has smothered the city's beaches and extends far into the Yellow Sea, about 550 kilometres (340 miles) southeast of Beijing, Xinhua said.
About 16 square kilometers (10 square miles) -- a third of the protected sea area for the sailing events -- are choked with algae, the report said.
In total, the algae has affected 13,000 square kilometers (8,080 square miles) of sea, the report said.
Workers have so far pulled out 100,000 tonnes of algae, the report said.
Xinhua said sailors from at least 30 countries and regions were already training in Qingdao for their events, which run from August 9 to 23.
Algae blooms are common in heavily polluted China, particularly in freshwater lakes.
They are mostly caused by the discharge of untreated sewage containing high concentrations of nitrogen, a main ingredient in detergents and fertilisers.
However, Wang Shulian, an official with the Qingdao Oceanic and Fishery Department, played down the connection between the algae and pollution, saying the water's temperature and salt levels helped the algae grow.
Residents have said Qingdao, which means "Green Island," was prone to summer algae infestations but that this year's was noticeably worse.
Source: news.yahoo.com
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