China has a reputation for being one of the most polluted countries in the world. A recent government report on their drinking water has proven this to be a worthy title. It has been reported that the Ministry of Land and Resources found 60 percent of the groundwater in China’s cities to be too polluted for human consumption.
Water quality testing from 203 different cities exposed the exceptionally high levels of contaminants and toxins in the water supply. On the safety scale, Chinese citizens have been left to consume “relatively poor” or “very poor” quality water. “Relatively poor” water can still be consumed safely, if it undergoes the appropriate pre-treatment. “Very poor” water, however, should not be consumed under any circumstances. The majority of groundwater in China falls into one of these two categories, per the report. This means pure, clean water is in the minority and makes up a comparatively small portion of their available drinking water.
In addition to the city water supplies that were examined, officials also studied the water from several thousand rural areas. Many of these areas were also heavily polluted. Overall, 43.9% of the water supply in China is rated as being “relatively poor” — meaning that it requires special treatment to be fit for human consumption. A staggering 16% of the water is rated as being “very poor,” rendering it unusable. While there was some improvement in water quality at 647 sites since 2012, 754 continued to worsen during the same time frame.
Of course, Chinese pollution extends far beyond just the water. After all, contaminated water usually comes from contaminated soil. Experts say that upwards of 20% of the farmland in China is polluted with toxins and heavy metals, and a deplorable 16% of China’s total land mass is probably contaminated.
This is especially concerning, given the number of herbal supplements, protein powders and other consumables that contain ingredients that are grown and produced in China. Brown rice protein is a common ingredient that usually comes from China, for example. This could explain the rise of heavy metals like cadmium being found in what are supposed to be healthy products. The importance of knowing what is in your food and where it comes from simply cannot be emphasized enough — it is time we demand more from our own government and insist on comprehensive, detailed product labeling. People deserve to know what they are consuming, where it comes from and whether or not it poses a threat to their own health.
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