A new production line with an annual capacity of 100,000 tons of sodium hypochlorite – commonly used as a bleaching agent or disinfectant – began operating in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, on Feb 8, according to local media reports.

The production line is funded by local State-owned chemical firm Zhejiang Oceantaking Development Co Ltd as part of Zhejiang's efforts to fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

At the end of January, Che Jun, Party secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, inspected the company and urged it to speed up the rectification of production lines to ensure an ample supply of disinfectant across the province. The new production line began operating within just 14 days, boosting the company's annual capacity of sodium hypochlorite to 200,000 tons per year.

Since the onset of the outbreak, the company has provided 50 tons of disinfectant free-of-charge to epidemic prevention and control centers in three cities: Jiaxing, Zhoushan, and Wenzhou.

It will also offer another 90 tons of free sodium hypochlorite disinfectant free-of-charge for a number of other cities in the province, including Lishui.

A new production line with an annual capacity of 100,000 tons of sodium hypochlorite begins operating in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, on Feb 8. [Photo/ccnb.com.cn]