Chemical use inflicts mounting expenses on poor...

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Chemical use inflicts mounting expenses on poor countries

China Post (September 6, 2012): The spiraling use of chemicals, especially in developing countries, is inflicting a rising bill by damaging people’s health and the environment, according to a U.N. report issued on Wednesday. Formerly small-scale consumers and producers of chemicals, developing economies now represent the fastest-growing sector of this industry, importing or making compounds for manufacturing and agriculture. But many countries lack safeguards for handling chemicals safely or disposing of them properly, according to the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) report, entitled “Global Chemicals Outlook.” Estimates have found that in just one year, water pollution caused US$634 million in damage to commercial fisheries in China.

Read more news from NRDC’s China Program: China Environmental News Alert