TOPIC 4: Pearl river delta and Yellow river

More than 100 chemical plants beside China's rivers pose safety threats to the country's environment.In the past the government had valued economic growth above environmental degradation, but that its priorities were now changing with plants identified as unsafe were being investigated. A total of 21,000 chemical factories had been found to be located along China's rivers and coastline. More than half the plants were found to be located along two of China's most important rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, which are relied upon by millions of people. Chemical content in the songhua river which has recently been affected by a chemical spill are closely monitored and will not rise above the state standards for water quality, fish from the river are safe to eat.
conclusion: china had put the countries development as the top priority and pushed aside all concerns for the environment in the long term. Now china's river are at risk of chemical spillage with over 21000 chemical plants located along them. Spillage would result in high concentrations of benzene in the river causing harm to the environment.