The pollution of East Yangtze River in China - Essay Example

Thesis statement: It is evident that pollution is threatening the existence of the East Yangtze River in China because the river’s downstream economic region is highly polluted due to industrial wastes, agricultural pollution, shipping discharges in general. Basically, this river (say, East Yangtze River) originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and flows through different districts in China and ends its journey at the East China Sea. To be specific, this river begins its journey at Qinghai and ends its journey at Shanghai.

The banks of this river are filled with agricultural areas, industrial zones, and acts as a lifeline for one-third of the total population of China. This river is most important for the nation because its flow is limited with the borders of China and boosts up agricultural production and industrialization in general. This section examines the grass-root level reasons behind the pollution faced by the East Yangtze River within Chinese context, and this section is broadly divided as: industrial wastes, agricultural pollution, shipping discharges.

The process of rapid industrialization in China, especially in the eastern China pollutes the East Yangtze River. For instance, the factories based upon metal industry allow metallic waste materials to enter the river and it results in metal pollution. Similarly, paper-making industry (say, factories/paper mills) in the banks of the river allow toxic waste materials to enter the river. This sort of polluting waste particles can contaminate river water and can affect aquatic life in general. The SEPA report in the year 2000 proves that the river Yangtze and its tributaries are forced to face the after-effects of the rapid industrialization in Chinese context because the river system is treated as a dumping yard (Hill 2010: 280).

Besides, the shipbuilding industry results in the