China's Bohai Sea severely polluted: oceanologist
20/10/2006 16:46
It would take at least 200 years to clean up Bohai Sea, China's sole
inland sea, even if no more sewage was poured into it, the People's Daily quotes
an expert as saying.
Bohai Sea earned the unlovely distinction of "worst
polluted" sea area in China after an investigation by the State Oceanic
Administration (SOA).
Industrial sewage, pesticides, fertilizers and the
dumping of garbage have gravely polluted Bohai Sea, People's Daily
reports.
The SOA investigation shows that, from 2001 to 2005, the polluted
area of the Bohai Sea fluctuated between 19,000 and 32,000 square kilometers, or
24 to 41 percent of the total Bohai area. There are a number of
densely-populated industrial areas along the Bohai coast.
Since it is a
continental sea, Bohai Sea does not exchange much water with outer seas. It
means that pollutants accumulate.
The Chinese government has set goals for
dealing with Bohai Sea pollution. It will shut down a number of heavily
polluting projects and punish violators to ensure that by 2010, not less than 85
percent of the sewage and 80 percent of waste are properly handled.
Offshore
oil producers, shipping companies and ports in the area have been ordered to
prevent oil leakages and the disposal of waste in the sea. All aquatic farms and
coastal engineering projects will be obliged to adopt environmental protection
measures.
China will set up nature reserves and a biological monitoring
network in the Bohai Sea area and make greater efforts to monitor the maritime
environment in the area.
xinhua
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