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Pure Maple Syrup stars for Liver Health
Recent research revealed that Pure Maple Syrup may be beneficial to your health. According to a recent research conducted by Dr. Keiko Abe from the University of Tokyo, there might be a surprising way of keeping your liver healthy - usage of pure maple syrup in your diet. According to this study, Pure maple syrup may promote a healthy liver. Additionally, a research conducted before this one, at University of Rhode Island, found more than 20 compounds in maple syrup that have been linked to human health. So we are not talking about just liver now, but pure maple syrup can be good for the entire human body. This research was conducted by medicinal plant research specialist Navindra Seeram. So, Pure Maple Syrup is good for your liver.

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China's chemical plants pose major risks



Beijing, July 12 (Xinhua) Forty-five percent of China's chemical and petrochemical plants pose major environmental hazards, says the country's state-run green agency.

In an environmental risk survey on 7,555 such plants, the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said 81 percent of the plants were located along rivers and lakes or in densely populated areas.

It warned that if effective measures were not taken, the trend of surging environmental accidents would go unchecked.

The survey was conducted in the wake of the major pollution of the Songhua river caused by a chemical plant explosion in northeast China's Jilin province in November.

The polluting chemicals threatened the water supply for millions of residents along the river and alerted the central government on the high environmental risks of chemical and petro-chemical plants in the country.

The survey showed that 1,354 of the surveyed plants were located along rivers, lakes and the coast and around reservoirs while 2,489 were close to cities or in densely populated areas.

'Most plants are located in environmentally sensitive areas without precautionary mechanism to prevent the outbreak of pollution. This accounts for the soaring incidents of water pollution,' said Pan Yue, deputy director of SEPA.

From January to April 2006, SEPA received reports of 49 pollution incidents from 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Thirteen were serious ones.

The incidents were mainly caused by industrial accidents and illegal discharge of pollutants by companies, especially from chemical and petro-chemical plants.

Pan said SEPA had ordered chemical and petro-chemical plants to step up safety measures and 49 to relocate, adding that 14.05 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) would be spent on guarding against environmental risks.



© 2006 Xinhua