Sunday, January 29, 2012

Another pollution crisis in China

OK, so it's just cadmium, an extremely toxic metal.  But this is another example of the dangers of the Chinese industrial complex running amok with little environmental regulation, sparking panic and fear in the public.

Thank the Lord that couldn't happen in the United States, because we've got the EPA looking out for us, with the force of LAW backing them up.

Nobody in politics would want to change that, would they?

Pollution sparks panic water buying in China


"Authorities found waste discharged into the Longjiang river by the Jinhe Mining Co caused excessive levels of cadmium some three times the government's accepted limit, the official Xinhua news agency said."

but no problem because

"However, Liuzhou officials said water quality in the area was "safe". Over the past week, firefighters had dumped chemicals aimed at neutralising the cadmium into the river.

According to the World Health Organization cadmium is a carcinogen which can seriously damage the kidneys, bones and respiratory system. It has several industrial applications, ranging from steel to batteries.

Three decades of rapid economic growth and lax enforcement of environmental protection laws have caused most waterways in China to be heavily contaminated with toxic waste from factories and farms."
No, OBVIOUSLY we wouldn't want to change the environmental protection laws in the U.S.

Obviously.

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