back to article China's Danger Maps highlight health hazards

China’s many environmental hazards are well documented, as are its government’s less than transparent approach to governing. But one enterprising local start-up has managed to address both in a new app which uses publicly available information to let users check whether they’re about to move next door to a landfill. Danger …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The main environmental hazard to people in China is showing dissent...

    So where is that on the map?

    Oh it's all over isn't it.

  2. Mondo the Magnificent
    Devil

    I wonder....

    Do Foxconn's production lines appear on these maps?

    After all, 18 hour shifts of repetative work for a pittance of a salary is a health hazard...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I wonder....

      Pittance in what sense, compared to us yes, compared to other jobs you can get in China no.

      But our housing, food, fuel etc costs massively more.

  3. JaitcH

    Having lived in China ...

    I can say most of China's populated areas suffer from pollution. I often visit GuangXi Province, in the south-west of the country, and the river that flows through NanNing, the capital, is so heavily polluted it is almost possible to walk across the surface in places.

    I have seen the river burning, even.

    Unfortunately, Chairman Mao's proclamation that there would be an iron smelter in everyone's back yard was the beginning of the heavily polluted period.

    The other problem is that the building zoning regulations are weak and poorly enforced, read bribes vary planning conditions, which means residential properties can end up surrounded by industry,

    The final problem is lack of pride through ownership. In countries such as China, Russia and VietNam the people, through the State, own the land and individuals and companies lease the land from the provincial level governments. This means a leaseholder really has no incentive not to pollute the land and therefore conditions can deteriorate badly, quickly.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Having lived in China ...

      The UK was polluted to from industry and still is. The "black country" was named due to all the soot which covered everything.

    2. Paul Webb

      Re: Having lived in China ...

      "residential properties can end up surrounded by industry"

      I didn't know Sheffield was in China...

      1. Frumious Bandersnatch

        Re: Having lived in China ...

        I didn't know Sheffield was in China...

        I thought it actually might have been, until I discovered it was just an urban myth. Hooray for the Internet!

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