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Interview on China pollution with Zhang Weifemg
In the beginning of the interview, Zhang Weifemg started by describing the general information about China’s use of fuels. Weifemg stated that, “China is a very industrial country. Most of these industries consume fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum”. From my knowledge, I established that it is the combustion of fossil fuels leads to emission of greenhouse gases including CO2, SO2, and NO2.
Weifemg further illustrated that the numerous motor vehicles in China are notorious for CO2 emissions. “For instance, in Beijing alone there are over 4 million automobiles emitting greenhouse gases”. The construction industry is also another source of air pollution in China. Although on a smaller scale, construction work raises dust thereby polluting the air. Another pollutant worth mentioning is the Asian dust from Gobi desert and other deserts in Northern China.
From the discussion in the interview, I established that smog is a toxic type of fog caused by particulate matter made up of S02, Cadmium, Mercury and lead. On asking the source for the smog in China, Weifemg stated that, “The main source of smog in China is the industrial emissions due to the combustion of fossil fuels”. Using the Weifemg’s response, the issue of smog could be a time bomb considering the high population density in China’s cities.
The emission of greenhouse gases leads to the formation of acid rain. For instance, when S02 in the air mixes with rainwater, it comes down as weak sulfuric acid that corrodes the roofs of buildings and the chlorophyll of green plants. Smog contains toxic elements and heavy metals that are responsible for respiratory diseases and cancer of the lungs. Smog also impairs visibility and it may lead to air accidents. There is no major step taken by Chinese authorities to stop air pollution. It is only recently that the government raised a red flag regarding the issue of smog in China.