China is one of the largest contributors to pollution and it
is becoming very hard to find clean rivers there. However, one such river still
exist- the Han River in China. The Green Han River Organisation is set up by a
group of volunteers to protect their river from being polluted. It is very rare
to find big river with good quality water like the Han River. As there is an
increase in economic growth, the amount of pollution increases as well. Toxic
waste products are everywhere to be seen. People living along polluted river
banks are seen to water their crops with 'black' water. I'm sure the villagers
are aware that these water from the river are contaminated but because of their
rural settings, they might not have access to clean water and sanitation. The
contaminated river bank is their main source of water.
Then there is the "A" Inc. where the workers there
have been reported to be poisoned due to the long hours exposure of a chemical
known as N. Hexane. This N. Hexane is a chemical used for effective cleaning of
the "A" logo and screens, it reduces the time for drying up to 1 to 2
seconds but as a consequence, workers have been admitted to hospitals due to
poisoning. The Apple factory is also not a big company with full length glass
windows situated in business districts, but a small warehouse with little
windows at the top of the walls for minimum light and air flow situated in
secluded towns. Workers admitted to hospitals named a list of effects and
obvious symptoms of their intoxications such as numbing of hands and difficulty
to walk or run. Some, even when recovered from the poisoning, still experience
aches over the body. Prolong exposure to N. Hexane can lead to breakdown in
nervous systems, paralysis and et cetera. I'm sure cleaning of logos and wiping
of screen isn't the key procedure in manufactring electronic devices. By using
N. Hexane can indeed reduce the drying up process, but how less efficient can
it be to use some other chemically more friendly products? Is cleaning of
screens and logos more important than the health of employees? These people are
literally giving up their health for low paying wages. But because of the
increasing in population and unemployment rate, they have to secure whatever
jobs they have, even if it means risking their health. In a sense, they are
working to pay for their medical bills as most who are admitted can stay in
hospitals for months.
Another part of rural area in China, people there, including
kids recycle unwanted computer parts for a living. DCs would export their
unwanted computer parts to them for "recycling", but in fact, it's
just wanted thrash that they need to dispose out of the country. The people in
that area would take plastic parts of unwanted electronic products to grind
them to tear them apart, then wash them and it'll be ready for use- again.
Because of the lack in technology nor the money to have these technologies, the
people sort the different types of plastics by using cigarette fire to burn
them and smell the fumes in order to sort them out. This would inevitably lead
to brain damage and other health hazards like retardation. When a local Chinese
was asked what does he think about this, he knew that it is bad but he simply
answered “I don’t know.”
Then in the mountains/ highlands of China, lived a group of
people that are also victims of pollution. There has been an increase in the
number of deaths of villagers due to cancer and they blamed it on an
incinerator factory that is used to incinerate biohazard medical wastes, was
built near the village. Villagers reported 11 deaths of cancer within 2 years.
Environmental lawyers went to pay them a visit to see what they could help. At
the mountain, black fumes can be seen coming out from the incinerators and
going towards the mountains. Plants along the mountains are covered in black
soot. Though there had been an increase in the number of deaths of villagers
due to cancer, there has been no solid evidence that the direct cause is due to
the incinerator factory. A representative from the company stated that they are
much more dangerous in terms of health than the people in the mountains for
they are in direct contact with the incinerators and none of the workers in the
company are having cancer because of that and adding that the government is
planning for the villagers to move. I think that cancer has everything to do
with the incinerator factory. Firstly, the number of cases increased since the
factory was first built there. Secondly, though the workers have direct contact
with the incinerator, but it’s the villages up on the mountains that have the
direct contact with the air pollution made by them. All the fumes and smoke are
drifting towards their village. Crops and plants are covered in a layer of
black soot because of that and it’s the villagers that consume these crops and
in turn consume the toxic gets cancer. It is unfair for the villagers to move
as they have been living up in the mountains for many generations, but because
of one company that contributes to pollution, they being the minority have to
move.
In conclusion, at the rate China’s economy is expanding is
astonishing, but in the expense of their natural environment. I feel inclined
towards the quote of one member from the Green Han River Organisation, that
wanting gold and silver mountains but losing green mountains and blue water. In
the future, when gold can’t be eaten and silver can’t be drunk, the future generations
are doomed and by that time, people will be wanting back the mountains and the
seas. People are killing this natural environment for wealth, but soon, they’ll
be spending even more trying to save this environment.
