Be wary of statistics on China

With some regularity, I stumble across essays or reports on China with some detail or factoid that seems extraordinary – maybe even too extraordinary.

On occasion, I will try to do a little research myself. If I can’t substantiate the “fact,” I file it away in a mental category of dubious information. This issue came up for me again on perusing a fascinating piece in the April issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review. The article is titled, “Have all China scholars been bought?”

It provocatively suggests that there is a “dirty secret” in the academic field of China studies. Foreign scholars often pick less-than-tough fields to research in China to avoid displeasing the Chinese government.

They invest so much time and research into learning Chinese and getting knowledgeable about Chinese issues, the essay argues, that too much is at stake for them to cross the Chinese government. So in numerous ways they choose to do research in the field that is not hostile to a dictatorial government and bends to politically acceptable norms here.

While the thrust of the article is being debated among scholars, what caught my eye was the following paragraph in the essay:

“We ignore the fact that of the 3,220 Chinese citizens with a personal wealth of 100 million yuan ($13 million) or more, 2,932 are children of high-level cadres. Of the key positions in the five industrial sectors -­ finance, foreign trade, land development, large-scale engineering and securities -- 85% to 90% are held by children of high-level cadres.”

It’s a pretty extraordinary statistic. But is it true? I have my serious doubts. I don’t know where one could come up with verifiable evidence of this. A lot of fortunes have been made in IT and the internet alone among people without family connections. I don’t doubt that the children of high-level cadres do very well. I just doubt these numbers.

Makes me think of another shibboleth: Many news stories cite the United Nations saying six out of 10 of the world’s most polluted cities are in China. I have searched up and down for the source of this, including speaking to U.N.  environmental officials, and I can’t find it. Moreover, the U.N. officials asked me, what kind of pollution was I referring to? Air pollution? Well, then what kind of air pollution? Particulate matter? Other kinds? Cities suffer vastly different sorts of pollution. How does one define the “most polluted” then?

Now I see the World Bank says 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities are in China. And here's a story that says 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are Chinese. So which is it? And what are the cities?

China has a lot of polluted cities, some of them very polluted. But when issues get boiled down too much, I’d advise to be skeptical of easy answers. In fact, one should be wary of many statistics on China.   

Comments

[Matt]

Perhaps it would be easier to contact Mr. Holz directly regarding the source of his figures?

In regard to the pollution matter:

Most Polluted Cities In China (And The World)

1. Linfen, Shanxi Province
2. Yangquan, Shanxi Province
3. Datong, Shanxi Province
4. Shizuishan, Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region
5. Sanmanxia, Henan Province
6. Jincheng, Gansu Province
7. Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province
8. Xianyang, Shanxi Province
9. Zhuzhou, Hunan Province
10. Luoyang, Henan Province

http://www.forbes.com/logistics/2006/03/21/americas-most-polluted-cities-cx_rm_0321pollute.html

A 5 second Google search turned that up. Apparently the list comes from the Chinese EPA.

The World Bank article states it is, "due largely to high use of coal for energy." We can assume they are talking emissions in the air.

[Tim]

The pollution situation gets a little more complex. I'd seen that Chinese EPA list, and here is the link to the daily monitoring of major cities in China: http://www.sepa.gov.cn/english/air-list.php3 But as you see, they measure for three things: particulates smaller than 10 microns, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. But cities with a lot of tiny particulates created by construction sites and coal dust are not necessarily the same ones that have the other kinds of pollutants. So which ones are worse? Which ones are more polluted?

[China Law Blog]

I've always heard Chelyabinsk, Russia, is the most polluted city on earth. Supposedly, it has had 2-3 unreported nuclear leaks and its local metal factories are not all that good for the air, water and soil either. Seems to me though that nuclear waste trumps just about anything else.

[Hu]

First, Beijing has followed a dictum laid down by the late Deng Xiaoping, "taoguang yanghui," literally to hide its ambitions and disguise its claws.

In addition, with its $1 trillion in foreign exchange reserves, surging military spending and diplomatic initiatives in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Beijing has begun asserting its interests far beyond its borders.

As for the pollution in China, The World Bank recently examined 20 of the most severely polluted cities in the world. Sixteen of these cities are located in China, and Linfen City, in Shanxi Province, was cited as the world's most polluted city.

It's because the big polluters are also the big profiteers. Furthermore, the Chinese people don't have much understanding about ecology.

There are numerous research reports, stating 90 percent of China's billionaires are children of senior officials. There are about 2,900 senior officials' children in China, with total wealth amounting to two trillion yuan. Their businesses mainly cover 5 areas: finance, foreign trade, land development, large-scale projects, and bonds and securities. They either own their businesses or are senior managers in big companies.

What many reports failed to point out is that nearly all the leading financial, business and industrial figures in China were invariably the close relatives, sons, daughters, nephews, wives, etc., of China's highest-ranking Communist Party officials.

I live in mainland China, if anyone doubts the point I am telling here, come see for yourself.

But once here, you will not be allowed to speak up and be heard, it's forbidden by the elites.

[Joshua Xanadu]

Excellent post... I too always question these statistics that are thrown about. Often the reporting carry their own biases to selectively use stats to fit their theme.

For example, prior to recent revelations that China was actually SERIOUSLY underreporting their GDP, every Western journalist or academic took this scientific measure: "The Chinese say their GDP is 9%, so it's probably less... maybe 7%" Now that the CCP wants to lower GDP, the same reporters are now saying: "China's GDP is 10%, but it's probably 12%"

Basically, whatever the CCP says, the reporters will look for the opposite. But you know what? Sometimes (certainly not always), but SOMETIMES the stats from the Chinese ARE the stats. No need to qualify with your "superior" Western judgements.

[Shamao]

Just a note on the air pollution stats posted on the SEPA website. I did a quick comparative study one day when the air in Beijing was particularly bad and I was bored. SEPA categorizes days into either good, medium, or high air pollution based on the sum of the air pollutants. For the medium ranking (the day in question was medium-high), the allowable pollutants are between 2 and 7 TIMES (depending upon the pollutant) the legal limit allowed in the US under the Clean Air Act. You can find a chart about it on my blog at http://shamao.typepad.com

[luke]

It is disappointing to see such a chauvanistic post from Hu. In fact, the westerners he quoted are exactly right. In the late nineties, Chinese GDP was overstated (post the Asian crisis); these days it tends to be understated (for fear of frightening foreigners about the Chinese colussus even more). No need to ask "superior" westerners about this. China is full of Chinese economists who recognise the same phenomenon.

[Pete]

I think Hu's point is a valid one. Indeed, to label it as "Chauvanism" (I presuming that it is meant to be "Chauvinism") is to indulge in precisely the phenomenon that he is accused of. The credibility of the figures put out by the Chinese government is openly derided in newspaper reports and academic journal as being politically motivated and the "real" and "objective" figure included alongside. Luke's criticism repeats this by assuming the political intentions of the CCP and invokes the support of a non-specific group of people - was a "scientific" poll of Chinese economists interviewed beforehand?
The simple fact is that all statistics are subject to the political decision of what to include and exclude. It takes place as much as in the "West" (wherever that may be) as in China and to present any of it as objective and scientific is the real falsehood.
Ironically, in response to Holz's article on CCP appeasement, the issue over the veracity of Chinese statistics is symptomatic of the more general anti-Communist Party view that pervades newspaper and academic circles when dealing with China. CCP are generally depicted as evil Commies and the Chinese people as helpless victims at the mercy of CCP justice.

[ts]

Tim, you better believe that's true. I encourage you go to these cities in the list provided by Matt to have a look for yourself.

There is no environmental law overseeing the illegal toxic dumpings by the for-profit chemical industries in China. Or there are laws but nobody is enforcing them.

[Jean zimm]

It's always the same story... If you bash China you appear to be a China sceptic, which goes against the trends we see worldwide. If you approve of China, then you become a "二沟子“，petty follower...
I've lived in this country for 12 years now and i've traveled extensively trhoughout the country...

My 6 year old suffers from mysterious asthma like may children all over the country. Western doctors have advised us to turn towards traditional Chinese Medicine, which we did with success!

Anyone who questions statistics in China either has lived here too long and has become biast or hasn't lived here enough to realize the truth for themsleves...

Furthermore, Chinese people never accept any criticism from foreigners on China related issues... It's like you can never say anything unless you're Chinese.

But i'd suggest that Mr. Johnson takes a few field trips in the heart of China's polluted cities, maybe with his children, and see how he comments after a few months staying on those questionable cities...

Meanwhile, he might as well hang out with the crowd whose income he questions and if his Chinese allows him to survive, give us his comments after a few months hanging with those people. He might realize that in Beijing for example, the world is quite small...

But over the years i've always enjoyed reading and listening to the new born China experts...

Good luck and good night!

[Tim]

Let me clarify what I meant about China's polluted cities. I have been to and reported from several of the cities on the list that Matt provided above. I've written at length about cadmium poisoning at battery plants in Dongguan, the horrible chemical spills in Huaxi, the benzene in the Songhua River in Harbin, and the toxic spew in Guiyu, where much of the world's electronic detritus ends up. So I have quite a bit of firsthand knowledge of the severity of China's environmental calamity. My point is different. I make no argument about the severity of the pollution. I just have a problem with statisticians/reporters/scholars and others who sometimes glibly throw off assertions that "six out of 10 of the world's most polluted cities are in China." Can anyone find me that complete list, and tell me exactly what criteria were used to compile it? Pretty please?

[Meg]

Re: Questioning statistics in China.

When I look at Chinese stats, (pollution, population, internet users, etc. come to mind), the numbers can be off by several millions between two respectable sources. I'm not sure if this is because China's stats are so huge that the margin of error is much bigger or because of intentional foreigner misdirection.

[alan]

Chinese lie. They have no objection to it. They are liars by their very nature. Come and live here for one year get to know the people and you will see. They are generally nice but when it comes to the truth forget it. They will create any excuse under the sun to get away with something or to get out of something. Stats included. Chinese can't be experts on themselves because they will simply lie about it.

[baiyuji]

如果所记不错，10个污染城市6个在中国报道出自BBC中文网。五百个家庭一事出自星岛日报，这事出自一份内部调查，大陆赵晓在上海证券报文章中说出自“转型期中国社会公平问题研究”课题组的调研结果。

[Martin]

@Tim: Thanks a lot for your concern about environment, China and especially statistics. Without doubt doubt is necessary in the cases you mentioned but...

With regard to "16 out of 20" see World Bank (2001): World Development Indicators. Table 3.13: Air Pollution. Available for download at http://go.worldbank.org/7GHNPAE2I0. (ranking refers to particles in air = "Total Suspended Particulates", data mainly of 1995) This table lists even 21 Chinese cities among the TOP30. 3 years later (referring to data of 1999/2000) the infamous "20 out of 30" are left. (WB: WDI 2004) Simply because Guangzhu is not included anymore. Nevertheless, the absolute concentrations of TSP dropped dramatically by half or 2/3. Regarding "6 out of ten" google provides less than half a dozen hits so maybe this was not worth to bothering UN officials anyway... By the way, the quotient 30/20=1.5 is smaller than 10/6=1.67, so the relation is even worse...

So, in 2004 the list reads (micro-g TSP/m3)
1 India Delhi 187
2 Egypt, Arab Rep. Cairo 178
3 India Calcutta 153
4 China Tianjin 149
5 China Chongqing 147
7 India Lucknow 136
6 India Kanpur 136
8 China Shenyang 120
9 China Zhengzhou 116
10 China Jinan 112
11 China Lanzhou 109
12 China Beijing 106
13 China Taiyuan 105
14 India Ahmadabad 104
15 Indonesia Jakarta 103
16 China Chengdu 103
17 China Anshan 99
18 China Wuhan 94
19 China Nanchang 94
20 China Harbin 91
21 China Changchun 88
22 China Zibo 88
23 China Shanghai 87
25 China Kunming 84
24 China Guiyang 84
26 Bulgaria Sofia 83
27 Thailand Bangkok 82
28 China Pingxiang, Jiangxi 80
29 India Mumbai (Bombay) 79
30 China Changzhou 74

Uh, and China has a clear technical regulation how to calculate the "Air Pollution Index" and define the pollutant of particular current concern. This is the pollutant with the highest individual API, and this API is by definition the overall API (for the time period considered). See National Environmental Monitoring Centre, China (no date): “Technological Rules Concerned 'Ambient Air Quality Daily Report'”. http://www.zhb.gov.cn/english/airqualityinfo.htm.

Yesterday the API of the 84 Chinese cities monitored continuously was 28 - 133 (TSP 28.0 - 215.3). In 74 of 84 cases the TSP was of particular concern. The worst condition was 3A in 4 cities, which means that TSP was terribly high i.e. in

Beijing 215.31
Urumchi 176.53
Zhengzhou 172.45
Changsha 152.04

@Matt: That forbes calls whatever 10 Chinese cities "Most Polluted Cities In China (And The World)", moreover without giving a clear reference, is not really a prove, is it?

[Martin]

Hi folks. The seemingly steep decrease of the PM concentrations within 5 years made me suspicious but I was too tired last night and forgot that I wanted to check this again. So I have to apologise now and, unfortunately, to correct my statement above. The figures reported by WB in 2002 are Total (!) Suspended Particles, the figures reported by WB 2005 are called "particulate matter" (PM) but, in fact, seem to be PM10 (PM < 10 micro-m). So the TOP30 list I think is PM10, not total PM. The Chinese SEPA is also monitoring PM10, which is usually assumed roughly 60 % of total PM. So does the WB. All figures cited from SEPA are PM10, not TSP. Finally, that means that the decrease in PM air pollution from 1995 (WB 2002) to 1999/2000 (WB 2005) was in the range of 20 -25 %, e.g. in Delhi. Sorry again.

[Meg]

Just saw this on Danwei about lying with statistics:

Chinese prove that Canada pirates more software than they do... with numbers to prove it.
http://www.danwei.org/ip_and_law/blame_canada.php

[BAIYUJI]

Bank invests in clean air for China

Heather Connon
Sunday December 4, 2005
The Observer


Chinese investment banking specialist London Asia Capital will tomorrow announce an agreement with the China Environmental Protection Foundation (CEPF) to bring international investment to environmental projects in the country.
Under the agreement, London Asia will have first refusal on all environmental projects from the CEPF's Collaboration and Development Fund, which raises funds from overseas to invest in China's environmental sector.

China's rapid industrialisation and heavy reliance on coal and other fossil fuels have caused a dramatic rise in pollution - eight of the world's 10 most polluted cities are in China, and asthma and other respiratory diseases are rife.


The Chinese government has recently committed itself to a target of generating 15 per cent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, compared with 7 per cent now, which will require $150 billion of investment.
London Asia Capital is already one of the leading investment banks specialising in small and medium companies in China, with eight offices in the country. The agreement with the CEPF coincides with its establishment of a specialist environmental division in Freiburg, Germany, home to much of Europe's renewable technology research. Cleantech, as the division will be known, will help to transfer European technology to China.

Simon Littlewood, chief executive of London Asia, said that while China lacks access to established renewables technology, many European specialists are looking for new buyers because their home markets are saturated.

'Investments into renewables and energy efficiency technologies ... are the best hedge against the economic risks of rising oil prices and declining reserves,' he added.

[Stacy]

China's emergence as the world's next superpower has so far been seamless. Not only does it have international corporations queuing up for its capital, but it is now transferring that power into influence, from Africa to Latin America, without making enemies along the way."With the development of global economy, China will become the economic powerful country of the world soon, its level of consumption has been increasing too.Demand for many US products in China are very strong,but there are few, if any, effective methods for US SMF's to access Chinese buyers and meet the demand. AC-Ali enables US businesses to list their company and product descriptions in English. AmeriChinaB2B will translate these descriptions in Chinese and put them on its China Business platform www.acb2b.cn. which attracts a large number of Chinese importers and distributors looking for American products to import to China. Welcome to AmeriChinaB2B( http://www.acb2b.com/ ) to begin your business trip of China.

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY

The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world: Blacksmith Institute have be benevolent; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000 (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); they add 45,000 tons by day,

Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002)

The American Assotiation to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serius deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY PERÚ
The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world and the environment, Graffiti 2008 is between more pollute too to the world and the 2008 Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland say that Oroya is between the most polluted of the world. This qualification are benevolents; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000; overall 45,000 tons fot day (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); other research say that by this chimney only eliminate overall 119¨917,440 tons too every day to a velocity to 8.7 meters by second ( Chuquimantari C. Yauli-La Oroya Minería y Ciudades Empresas Pág. 57, 1992)
Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002
The American Association to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serious deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY PERÚ
The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world and the environment, Graffiti 2008 is between more pollute too to the world and the 2008 Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland say that Oroya is between the most polluted of the world. This qualification are benevolents; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000; overall 45,000 tons fot day (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); other research say that by this chimney only eliminate overall 119¨917,440 tons too every day to a velocity to 8.7 meters by second ( Chuquimantari C. Yauli-La Oroya Minería y Ciudades Empresas Pág. 57, 1992)
Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002
The American Association to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serious deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY PERÚ
The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world and the environment, Graffiti 2008 is between more pollute too to the world and the 2008 Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland say that Oroya is between the most polluted of the world. This qualification are benevolents; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000; overall 45,000 tons fot day (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); other research say that by this chimney only eliminate overall 119¨917,440 tons too every day to a velocity to 8.7 meters by second ( Chuquimantari C. Yauli-La Oroya Minería y Ciudades Empresas Pág. 57, 1992)
Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002
The American Association to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serious deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY PERÚ
The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world and the environment, Graffiti 2008 is between more pollute too to the world and the 2008 Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland say that Oroya is between the most polluted of the world. This qualification are benevolents; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000; overall 45,000 tons fot day (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); other research say that by this chimney only eliminate overall 119¨917,440 tons too every day to a velocity to 8.7 meters by second ( Chuquimantari C. Yauli-La Oroya Minería y Ciudades Empresas Pág. 57, 1992)
Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002
The American Association to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serious deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)

[Godofredo Arauzo]

POLLUTION TO THE OROYA CITY PERÚ
The years 2006 and 2007 the Blacksmith Institute have accomplished a research about the cities more contaminated to the world and arrived to the conclusion that the Oroya City was between the 10 cities more polluted of the world and the environment, Graffiti 2008 is between more pollute too to the world and the 2008 Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland say that Oroya is between the most polluted of the world. This qualification are benevolents; according to my researchs to many years that I am publishing, the Oroya is the more polluted to Peru, Latin America and of the world and every day is being more polluted: lead in blood in children in the Ancient Oroya in average 53.7 ug/dl ( DIGESA 1999); pregnancies women 39.49 ig/dl ( UNES 2000), new borns children 19.06 ug/dl, puerperal 319 ug/100 grams/placenta ( Castro 2003) and workers 50 ig/dl ( Doe Run 2003). Top lead in blood accepted 10 ug/dl; present day is 0 ug/dl ( Pediatric of Academy to USA)
When the Oroya city was in hands to the CentroMin eliminated only by the upper chimney to 167.500 meters, in average by day in tons: sulfur dioxide 1000, lead 2500, arsenic 2500, cadmium, particulate matter 50 and so on, more 24,000 to toxis gas product to the incomplete combustion of the coal, without count it is eliminated by industrial incinerator y by the 97 smalls chimneys, it is estimated 15,000; overall 45,000 tons fot day (PAMA . El Complejo Metalúrgico de la Oroya, 1996); other research say that by this chimney only eliminate overall 119¨917,440 tons too every day to a velocity to 8.7 meters by second ( Chuquimantari C. Yauli-La Oroya Minería y Ciudades Empresas Pág. 57, 1992)
Doe Run envoy every three months the concentrations of the heavy metals to the Ministry to the Energy and Mines and with the sames datums Ceverstav have demostrated the pollution was increased; for example the sulfur dioxide it have increased in near to 300 %, by increment to the production (Cederstav. La Oroya no Espera 2002
The American Association to the Environment say that the environmental quality to the Oroya it is serious deteriorated since that Doe Run was owner and the same enterprise
declared that the concentrations of the heavy metals gas it is ncreased in the air: lead 1160 %, cadmium 1990 % and arsenic 6006 % (Portugal, et al. Los Humos de Doe Run 2003)