
China admits pollution-linked 'cancer villages' - stfu
http://www.france24.com/en/20130222-china-admits-pollution-linked-cancer-villages
======
roylez
As a Chinese HN reader, I have to say something. It is not surprising at all
that all these happen in China. Food is poisonous, air is unbreathable, rivers
are smelly. All this attributes to one single fact, this government only wants
to loot from the country. The people have never had the right to made a single
vote to select a president for the country. If people do not show "necessary
obedience", they would have to face police or tanks. It is even a total waste
of time for me to write this comment here because I am writing about things
that would never change unless the country is overthrown.

------
lifeisstillgood
It seems utterly tragic that humans simply refuse to learn from the history of
others. Can anyone point to a country that is under-going catch up development
that does not go through this nightmare?

It is not inevitable. These chemicals are known, understood, and indeed
replaced in similar factories across the globe. So what drives Bhopal, or
Chinese cancer villages or vanishing Russian seas?

Is it you can't con an honest man and you can't pollute under an honest
government?

~~~
srean
I am surprised that you even know about Bhopal ! A part of the tragedy is that
its the largest industrial disaster and yet hardly anyone knows about it.

~~~
lifeisstillgood
It was headline news in the 80s - I guess 30 years tends to create a
generation who simy don't know - try windscale for example

~~~
srean
It also depends what kind of a narrative you can build around it.

Chernobyl is easy: "Russian technology, bad stupid unsafe". When a US
corporation is involved (and I expect this to be contested, all I can do is
point to
[http://old.studentsforbhopal.org/WhatHappened.htm#DisasterDe...](http://old.studentsforbhopal.org/WhatHappened.htm#DisasterDesign)
and <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster> and ) it is awkward, easier
to look away and forget.

And it matters who got affected, not so much "how many"

------
mmphosis
Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth by Jim Merkel
<http://www.radicalsimplicity.org/radical_simplicity.html> an excerpt from
page 5 ...

 _a computer uses 1000 substances, including 350 different hazardous chemicals
in it's manufacturing processes. (6) computers' designed obsolescence earned
20 million machines an early retirement in 1998. you also remember reading
about the rural rice growing town of guiyu, china, which has become an
electronic waste (e-waste) processing center. women and children earn $1.50
per day to strip computers down to components. soil and water tests there have
revealed lead levels 2400 times greater than those allowed by the world health
organization's guidelines. several other heavy metals tested far exceeded the
environmental protection agency standards: barium by 10 times; tin by 152
times; chromium by 1338 times. a year after the operation started, the village
had to truck in water. many of the substances are known carcinogens or cause
birth defects and skin and lung irritation.(7)_

6,7 puckett, jim and ted smith (editors.) Exporting Harm: The High-Tech
Trashing of Asia [http://www.ban.org/library-page/order-films/exporting-
harm-t...](http://www.ban.org/library-page/order-films/exporting-harm-the-
high-tech-trashing-of-asia/) seattle: Basal Action Network, 2002. a joint
report issued with the silicon valley toxics coalition
<http://svtc.org/resources/reports/>

------
hakaaaaak
China is no stranger to affecting the health of their population through gross
negligence. Ever hear of the Plasma Economy?:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_Economy>

But in all fairness, you could point to similar tragedies around the world.
How about Greece's government leading its people to believe it would take care
of their health, and failing: [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-10/greek-
public-health...](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-10/greek-public-
health-tragedy-looms-academics-write-in-lancet.html)

~~~
fnordfnordfnord
I had not heard of the Plasma Economy. That is horrible, that's just unbridled
greed.

------
melling
Two new initiatives would help:

    
    
      1. Start taking steps so the environment is much cleaner within 10 years. 
    
      2. Start an initiative to better treat and cure cancer(s) within the next 10 years.

