A shocking report published on Monday in the British Daily Star newspaper revealed the strange practices of some Chinese, who recycle sewage waste into cooking oils, and then sell them to restaurants at cheap prices.
Despite reports of severe sanctions by the Chinese authorities, 10% of the country's cooking oil is still made from recycled waste.
According to Chinese media, these oils are very toxic and cause side effects such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and other health problems that lead to cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
In light of the spread of the deadly Corona virus, China has tightened control over such practices, and has imposed death penalties for those it carries out, given its serious health to millions of Chinese.
Although there is no direct link between sewage oils and Corona's outbreak - until now - such practices have become a major concern for the Chinese government.
Previous issues
- 2011: 32 people arrested for producing polluted oils from 100 tons of oil illegally obtained from a factory.
- 2013: A man was sentenced to life imprisonment for making and selling oil distillates.
- 2017: More than 10 people were arrested in Zhejiang Province after being arrested transporting waste from sewage pipes located near restaurants and slaughterhouses, and they reprocessed these wastes in small workshops in remote suburbs to sell them back as oils to restaurants at a low price.