China burns milk prodcuts in giant furnaces

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has burnt 32,200 tonnes of melamine-tainted dairy products in a bid to put a health scandal in which tens of thousands of infants fell ill stones behind it.

State television showed boxes and packets of milk powder and baby formula being shovelled into giant furnaces in Shijiazhuang in the northern province of Hebei, where the scandal broke in September.

The goods were being burnt in four cement factories and two iron and steel factories.

China began reviewing a tougher draft food safety law on Thursday following criticism from the United Nations over its sluggish response to the health scandal.

China approved in principle a new food safety law last October following a raft of scandals involving unsafe toothpaste, seafood and pet food, among other products.

The country has since seen four children die and thousands of others made ill from drinking milk formula adulterated with melamine, which was subsequently found in other drinks and foods, prompting Chinese-made products to be stripped from shelves worldwide.

More than 3,000 children remain in hospital in China.