Statement published by Wuhan on its WeChat account on May 19, 2026.

The Wuhan government in Central China's Hubei Province on Tuesday said it has set up a joint investigation team to look into media reports that a sodium silicate factory caused serious environmental damage and harmed villagers' health, adding that the findings will be released to the public in a timely manner.

The government's statement came after Elephant News, a new media platform affiliated with Henan Television, reported on Monday that Huangtupo village in Wuhan, which has a registered population of 585, has seen 62 villagers diagnosed with cancer or leukemia over the years, most of them under the age of 50. Since 2015 alone, 34 cases have reportedly been recorded.

Villagers suspected that the illnesses might be linked to the Wuhan Xinzhou Changsheng sodium silicate factory located at the entrance of the village, but local environmental authorities have insisted that there was "no pollution" and that the plant had "already ceased production," according to the Elephant News. 

The report has attracted wide attention online. The Wuhan government published a statement on its WeChat account on Tuesday that in response to environmental concerns related to the Changsheng sodium silicate factory in Huangtupo village that were reported by the media, the Wuhan municipal Party committee and government have attached great importance to the issue and immediately set up a joint investigation team.

The team is carrying out a comprehensive and in-depth investigation into issues including villagers' health, the environmental and ecological impact, and the suspension of the factory's production. The findings of the investigation will be released to the public in a timely manner, said the Wuhan government statement. 

The government also said it appreciates the supervision of the media and the public.

Global Times