Brian Barton
China's industrial pollution is a pressing issue, with factories contributing significantly to both air and water pollution. The country's rapid industrialization has led to a stark increase in ecological pollution, impacting not only China but also other parts of the world. Chinese factories emit various pollutants, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). These emissions contribute to air pollution, with particulate levels in some areas reaching more than 50 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily level. Additionally, factories discharge untreated waste into waterways, leading to severe water pollution and affecting the drinking water sources for a significant portion of China's population. The Chinese government has implemented measures to tackle pollution, but the effectiveness of these efforts has been questioned, and the country continues to struggle with the environmental and health consequences of industrial development.
What You'll Learn
The impact of Chinese pollution on the US
China's air pollution has had a significant impact on the US, with measurable amounts of pollution transported across the Pacific Ocean to the Western US. This has resulted in an overall deterioration of air quality in the region, with an increase in contaminants such as sulphates, BC, and CO. The impact of Chinese pollution on the US is complex and multifaceted, with several factors influencing the extent and nature of the impact.
Firstly, the manufacturing industry in China plays a significant role in the pollution levels experienced in the US. The production of goods for export, particularly to the US, contributes to a large fraction of China's emissions. The outsourcing of manufacturing to China by US companies has led to a transfer of pollution from the US East to the US West, with an improvement in air quality in the eastern, more populous regions of the US. This dynamic has been referred to as the "outsourcing of pollution", where the demand for cheap products by American consumers fuels Chinese pollution, which then blows back across the Pacific to the US.
Secondly, China's enormous manufacturing industry and rapid industrialisation have led to extremely poor air quality within China, which has had indirect impacts on the US. The high levels of pollution in China have been linked to an increase in the strength of cyclones forming over the Pacific Ocean, which can then affect the US and other regions. Additionally, the clean-up of Chinese air pollution has inadvertently contributed to a surge in global warming, with a 5% increase in global temperatures since 1850 attributed to the removal of cooling aerosols from the atmosphere. This surge in global warming has impacted the US, among other countries, highlighting the complex and interconnected nature of the climate system.
Furthermore, China's environmental policies and initiatives have had both direct and indirect impacts on the US. Beijing's industries lead the world in mercury emissions, a harmful neurotoxin, due to its coal-burning power plants. While China has taken some steps to improve its air quality, such as fitting scrubbers to coal power plants and tightening vehicle exhaust rules, the pace of the air quality clean-up has slowed in recent years. The lack of clear environmental guidelines and safety standards in initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative has led to negative consequences for the environment, including water quality, land pollution, and ecosystem destruction, which can have far-reaching impacts beyond China's borders, including the US.
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The effect of China's pollution on the climate
China's pollution has had a significant impact on the climate, both locally and internationally. As the world's largest emitter of anthropogenic air pollutants, China's actions have contributed to an increase in global warming. While China has made efforts to reduce its air pollution, the removal of pollutants has revealed a more pronounced warming effect, unmasking what was previously mitigated by the cooling effect of the pollution. This has resulted in a surge in global warming, with the warming rate increasing from 0.18°C (0.32°F) per decade since 1970 to around 0.24°C (0.43°F) per decade since 2010.
China's energy consumption is heavily reliant on coal, which is the main source of its air pollution. Coal combustion emits harmful pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter known as PM2.5 and PM10. These pollutants have severe health risks, including respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, China's agricultural sector is a significant source of waste, with pesticide and fertilizer residues, packaging, and plastic waste contributing to "white pollution," which has impacted both local landscapes and waterways.
The impact of China's pollution extends beyond its borders. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from Chinese emissions fall as acid rain on neighbouring countries like South Korea and Japan. Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, has also been detected as far away as Los Angeles in the United States. According to the US Embassy in Brazil, China is the world's greatest emitter of mercury, a neurotoxin that pollutes the air, water, and soil, posing a significant public health threat. China's international trade has further implications for global air pollution, as the production of exported goods increases emissions, affecting air quality in other regions.
To address these issues, China has implemented various measures. In 2020, Xi Jinping announced dual goals of carbon peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. The "Synergetic Road Map for Carbon Neutrality and Clean Air in China" aims to transform electricity generation and industrial production to reduce pollution at its source. Additionally, China has banned the import of waste from other countries and introduced its first comprehensive law to prevent soil pollution, requiring polluters to limit their output or pay for contamination. Despite these efforts, the overall level of air pollution in China remains a concern, with 99.9% of its population living in areas with unsafe air quality according to the World Health Organization.
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Air pollution in Chinese cities
China's air pollution has been a major source of concern since the Industrial Revolution. The country's rapid industrialization has significantly improved the standard of living for many of its people, but it has also created an "ecological monster". As a result, Chinese citizens are facing devastating health hazards.
One of the most polluted cities in China is Benxi, a medium-sized industrial city in northern China. Benxi has over 420 factories packed into an area of just 17 square miles, resulting in severe air pollution that reduces visibility in the city to 40-50 yards for about six months of the year. It is said that Benxi is often invisible in satellite photos due to the thick industrial smog. Despite efforts to reduce air pollution, a truck driver from Benxi claims that the measures have been largely ineffective. He also stated that those working in large factories suffer from severe lung issues due to exposure to smoke and dust.
Shanghai, a coastal city in China with a population of 12.5 million people, has the highest death rate from cancer of any city in China. However, the city is taking measures to combat pollution, spending approximately $106 million annually on initiatives to improve water quality. Shanghai's municipal bureau of environmental protection has been fining factories for violating anti-pollution laws, and the city has seen a reduction in carbon dioxide levels in recent years.
Beijing, the capital of China, also suffers from high levels of air pollution. Coal accounts for 70% of the country's total energy consumption, and emissions from coal combustion are the primary contributors to air pollution. In response, the Chinese government has implemented plans to reduce coal consumption by closing polluting mills, factories, and smelters, and transitioning to eco-friendly energy sources. These policies have shown progress, with a 23.6% decrease in average PM2.5 levels in 74 key cities between 2013 and 2015.
In addition to air pollution, water pollution is a significant issue in China. According to Chinese scientists, the drinking water for about 700 million people, or over 60% of the population, does not meet health standards. Industrial discharges have seriously contaminated China's waterways, rendering them largely unfit for direct human use. The agricultural sector is also a significant source of pollution, with pesticide and fertilizer residues, packaging, and plastic waste often ending up in landfills due to inadequate waste management infrastructure.
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Water pollution in China
A report by the Washington Post highlighted the case of Benxi, a medium-sized industrial city in northern China, where hundreds of factories are clustered in a small area. These factories have been accused of pouring untreated waste directly into the river, leading to severe water pollution and causing concerns among residents. The situation in Benxi is not an isolated case, as similar issues have been reported in other parts of China, including Shanghai.
The Chinese government has implemented various measures to combat water pollution, including the publication of a plan to tackle air and water pollution in 2013. As part of this plan, the government required 15,000 factories to publicly report their air emissions and water discharges in real time, an unprecedented level of transparency. Additionally, the government has imposed fines on factories violating anti-pollution laws and has invested in projects to improve water quality. For example, Shanghai has been spending approximately $106 million annually to combat pollution, and Beijing has taken steps to reduce coal consumption and shut down polluting mills, factories, and smelters.
Despite these efforts, water pollution remains a critical issue in China. The ineffectiveness of anti-pollution measures has been attributed to the dominance of state-run factories, which may avoid severe punishment or shut down. Additionally, the country's rapid industrialization and focus on short-term economic gains have exacerbated the problem. China's environmental abuses have also extended beyond its borders, with the country being criticized for its unsustainable fishing practices, exploitation of natural resources, and lack of clear environmental guidelines in its international initiatives.
Agricultural practices have also contributed significantly to water pollution in China. Pesticide and fertilizer residues, as well as plastic packaging waste, often end up in landfills or waterways due to inadequate waste management infrastructure. This type of pollution, known as "white pollution," has become prevalent in China's agricultural landscapes and waterways since the mid-1990s.
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The Chinese government's response to pollution
China's rapid industrialization has resulted in extremely poor air quality, with the country being the world's largest emitter of anthropogenic air pollutants. In 2013, record smog in Northeast China caused the closure of schools and Harbin Airport. The Chinese government has responded to the issue of pollution in various ways.
In 2011, China set up its own PM2.5 monitoring system in Beijing after the US Embassy's hourly release of air quality data revealed that the city's air quality was dangerously worse than the Chinese government was willing to admit. This small act of transparency helped catalyze a revolution in air quality management, and Beijing has since made air quality a priority, establishing new ambient air quality standards. In 2013, Chinese authorities fitted scrubbers to coal power plants to curb the dirtiest emissions and tightened rules governing vehicle exhausts, leading to a 75% drop in sulfate emissions. In 2014, the country announced it would launch a "'war against pollution'", and the government put in place a comprehensive program to tackle air pollution, with a focus on controlling air pollutants at their source. The government has also acknowledged that Beijing was experiencing "persistent, large-scale, high-concentration severe air pollution".
Despite these efforts, the overall level of air pollution in China remains unhealthily high. Beijing is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and the largest source of marine debris. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been criticized for repressing civil society and a free press, slowing changes that would benefit its citizens and the world.
The agricultural sector is a significant source of waste in China, with farms generating more pollution than factories according to a government survey. The term "white pollution" refers to the color of white plastic shopping bags, Styrofoam containers, and other light-colored materials that began turning up in visible volumes in agricultural fields, the landscape, and waterways in the mid-to-late 1990s. The first bans on "white pollution" were imposed by the State Council in 1999.
The World Bank has supported China's efforts to reduce pollution through the Innovative Financing for Air Pollution Control Program, which has provided financing for investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions control. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) provided a loan of $500 million, which has substantially increased the financing available to support the government's air pollution control program.
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Frequently asked questions
Chinese factories make a significant amount of air pollution. Coal accounts for 70% of China's total energy consumption, and emissions from coal combustion are the major contributors to air pollution in China. In 2016, Beijing's yearly average PM2.5 was 73 μg/m3, and 39 severely polluted days were recorded. In Benxi, a city in northern China, more than 420 factories are packed into 17 square miles, resulting in severe air pollution.
Chinese factories also contribute to water pollution. Dozens of factories in Benxi pour untreated waste directly into the river. In Shanghai, factories have been fined for violating anti-pollution laws, and similar issues have been reported in other parts of China.
The health impacts of air and water pollution from Chinese factories are severe. Long-term exposure to pollutants can lead to respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. According to Chinese scientists, the drinking water for about 700 million people fails to meet health standards.
The Chinese government has implemented various measures to address pollution from factories. They have set health standards for PM2.5 particulates and required 15,000 factories to report real-time data on air emissions and water discharges. Cities like Beijing and Shanghai are working to reduce pollution by relocating factories, reducing coal consumption, and enforcing anti-pollution laws.
China's factory pollution has global impacts, contributing to the global greenhouse effect and affecting air quality in other countries, including the United States. China's production of goods for export can worsen air quality in the western United States due to increased emissions during manufacturing.
