Chinese government scientists have released research that millions of acres of Chinese agricultural land and over 12 million tons of Chinese grain are contaminated by toxic metal pollution, according to this week’s edition of the China Economic Weekly, a state-run magazine. (via Ecocentric)
Last week, a separate article reported that 10% of Chinese rice contained excess cadmium, a heavy metal known to cause cancer.
Beijing quickly responded to last week’s news by announcing it was re-focusing its efforts to reign in heavy metal pollution over the weekend, identifying 4500 operations across the nation, including chemical manufacturers, battery manufacturers and mines, to be put under stricter controls. An article in today’s South China Morning Post, reporting on China Economic Weekly story, says the heavy metal pollution is particularly bad in China’s southwestern Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.