Report: One fifth of China's soil contaminated

[The Straight Story]

Almost a fifth of China's soil is contaminated, an official study released by the government has shown.

Conducted between 2005-2013, it found that 16.1% of China's soil and 19.4% of its arable land showed contamination.

The report, by the Environmental Protection Ministry, named cadmium, nickel and arsenic as top pollutants.

There is growing concern, both from the government and the public, that China's rapid industrialisation is causing irreparable damage to its environment.

The study took samples across an area of 6.3 million square kilometres, two-thirds of China's land area.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-27076645#TWEET1104348

[Demeter]

1. I'd hate to see figures for the US contamination

somehow, I think it would exceed China's.

[NeoGreen]

4. A good place to start would be...

... an old USGS report:

Element Concentrations in Soils and Other Surficial Materials of the Conterminous United States
By Hansford T. Shacklette and Josephine G. Boerngen

http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1270/

It provides a good basis for establishing background concentrations for metals such as cadmium, nickel and arsenic in soil.

[riverbendviewgal]

5. Canada's Tarsands is the worst

In North America. Harper allow the oil and companies to destroy water, land and air in Alberta.

[mopinko]

6. yeah, that was my first thought. but topsoil needs to be a way bigger concern.

there is some movement in this country to recognize the need not just to preserve topsoil, but to build it. that is big focus on my little farm, and most of what we did and do was illegal.

[pangaia]

2. Wow..

More evidence that we should get rid of the EPA.

[marions ghost]

3. People are so prissy about their houses

and think nothing of living in the midst of industrial contamination.