The Ministry of Environmental Protection (SEP) yesterday approved the construction of a suspended PX (paraxylene) project in Zhangzhou, a neighboring city to Xiamen, the plant's original location, in Fujian province.

The Tenglong Aromatic PX Co Ltd, which raised a storm of protests from residents of Xiamen in 2007, has cleared the environmental impact assessment and will be relocated to Zhangzhou, the ministry said on its website yesterday.

Paraxylene, a chemical used in printing, rubber and leather industries, can cause adverse health effects to humans who come into contact with the solvent.