China's top environmental official said Tuesday China faces
serious soil pollution that jeopardizes the ecology, food safety,
people's health and the sustainable development of agriculture.
"It is estimated that nationwide 12 million tons of grain are
polluted by heavy metals that have found their way into in soil
each year. Direct economic losses exceed 20 billion yuan (about
US$2.5 billion)," said Zhou Shengxian, director of the State
Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).
Addressing a national video conference on soil pollution, Zhou
said harmful substances accumulate in the soil which are then
absorbed by crops that are consumed by people. This, he said, will
harm people's health.
(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2006)