Dagu

The Shanghai chain Dagu Rice Noodle, which made its splashy U.S. debut in Las Vegas in 2019, expands to the Chinatown International District.

"I was supposed to arrange my daughter's wedding this year and also construct a house. That's unlikely now. My creditors are demanding money," says Dagu Khote, who borrowed money to plant onions.

The main street is lined with a canal of toxic green runoff from the Tianjin Dagu Chemical works, the foul stench of which hangs in the air.

Dagu Chemical uses vinyl chloride in the production of PVC, a common plastic.

Langerman has not personally been to Tianjin Dagu Chemical, so he could not comment on the safety of the site.