China adds pollution to list of exports

By Emma Graham-Harrison | REUTERS
January 7, 2006

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's environmental woes spilled visibly over its borders as a toxic slick flowed into Russia in December, but exports of pollution are becoming as common as sales of cheap T-shirts for the economic powerhouse.

The country's leaders are only starting to grapple with the political fall-out at home after years of pursuing economic expansion at almost any price.

Dirty or scarce water, choking air and toxic factory effluent are some of the common problems fouling China's environment and its neighbours'.

Yet the international impact of China's problems have barely registered as cause for concern for Beijing's leadership. It took days for China to notify Russia that an explosion at a petrochemical plant sent 100 tons of benzene compounds pouring down a tributary to the Amur.

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