Pollution

Affects of acid rain on pine tree. The branch on the left comes from a tree that has experienced acid rain, while the branch on the right did not. The branch on the left has lost needles and has turned yellow, showing clear damage from the acid rain.

Unfortunately, non-point source pollution from agriculture in China is extremely prevalent. During the reform period from 1978 to 2001, China’s use of chemical fertilizers quadrupled, contributing to significant nutrient runoff, contributing in turn to large-scale eutrophication of China’s lakes. Eutrophication is excess nutrient richness in bodies of water that leads to excessive growth of algae and other plant life. When this plant life dies, it gives off large amounts of carbon dioxide, which in turn acidifies the water, and causes degradation of shells of mollusks, slowed growth in vertebrate fish, and dead zones. Constant use of these chemical fertilizers also increases the concentration of heavy metals, such as nickel, cadmium, copper and mercury, in agricultural soil, which increases the risk of unsafe metal concentration in the food products grown in this soil. These metals are toxic upon ingestion in high amounts, and can have serious health effects.

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Along with water and soil pollution, China suffers very badly from high levels of air pollution. Sixteen cities in China, including Beijing, are among the top twenty cities in the world with the most polluted air. Exposure to these levels of particulates in the air greatly increases risk of pulmonary and respiratory diseases.

The primary culprit of all of this air pollution is China’s continued reliance on coal and oil for nearly three quarters of its total electricity needs.

Sulfur dioxide emissions from burning coal have also caused China to have the highest rates of acid rain in the world. Acid rain decreases the pH of soil, which in turn decreases the levels of available nutrients in the soil and slows microbiological processes. Higher acidity soil can also damage plant roots and cause stunted growth. Along with harmful effects on agriculture, acid rain can also erode buildings and present damage to human health. Acidic water running through pipes causes lead and copper to leach into the water. There is also the danger of acidic fog, which when inhaled can cause respiratory problems such as throat, nose, and eye irritation, headache, and asthma flare ups.

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