Outsourcing Our Pollution to China

[Anders Hoveland]

All those environmental regulations in the EU and USA will not mean anything if the developed countries continue to allow their manufacturing to be outsourced to China, where there are no pollution laws (the few laws that do exist are rarely enforced).

 

Air pollution in one the main cities:

http://cargocycling....pollution-china

 

It is so bad that most of the people wear face masks:

 

China emitts more carbon dioxide than any other country on earth:

 

China's rivers are being heavily polluted:

http://www.flickr.co...euk/5932903239/

http://latestchina.c...icle/?rid=21475

 

Why is free trade being allowed with China when it refuses curb pollution or enforce environmental protections? What is the point of preventing pollution in the EU/USA when most things in the EU/USA are actually made in China? Without solving the problem about China, more envirormental regualtions in the USA will just drive more and more manufacturing to China. Indeed, many of the laws passed in the USA that were meant to help the envirorment and reduce pollution have done just the opposite, by driving production to China where industry is allowed to pollute as much as they want and not worry about the consequences. Electric production in China is also much more polluting than that in the USA because Chinese coal power plants are significantly less efficient, do not have filters to reduce particulate emissions, and use cheaper butimous sulfur coal that causes acid rain. This matters because Chinese factories are much more wasteful and energy-intensive than those in the USA. The fact that the Chinese government heavily subsidizes the cost of electric power does not help the incentive for conservation.

 

The best way for the USA to reduce pollution is to put a pollution tax on all Chinese imports, unless the products have been certified to have come from a factory that meets minimum environmental standards. Making it expensive for American companies to meet environmental regulations while allowing Americans free access to Chinese products gives an unfair advantage to corporations that own factories in China. Factories in the EU or USA that want to try to be more eco-friendly have trouble competing with China.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Anders Hoveland

[JohnStu]

Seems to me the coporations don't want outsource to stop. They would rather pay $0.71 labor cost per unit than the whopping 19$ labor cost in US/Canada.

 

 

 

Labor is a bit overly cheap in China and labor cost is too high in US. I see minimum wage people here in US driving cars and buying designer clothing? Awkward.

 

 

A mixture of the labor cost of both countries would even things out more.

[CharonY]

(the few laws that do exist are rarely enforced).

I could believe that laws are being ignored, but can you source that there are only few laws to begin with? Also few on what level?

 

That being said, considering population size China produces (still) less CO2 per capita, for instance (ca. 7 mio tons vs 5 mio total emission, respectively). Also with other pollutants there is the issue that much of China's industry is localized in relatively small areas. There the pollution is very high, though areas in the US with high pollutation rival it for certain pollutants, at least based on some older data (I did not have time for an extensive search). My link

 

While I agree that large countries like China and India are pivotal to curb pollution, it is a bit disingenuous to play down the roles of the US or EU. Especially as many of the industries in China are producing goods for the US market.

Edited April 16, 2012 by CharonY

[Sergeant Bilko]

Its not just pollution that we are outsourcing to China in our deperate hunger for cheap goods, its health and safety in general also. Coal mines around the world are closing so that we can import cheap coal from China. One of the things that make it cheap are the lack of safety for the miners. According to google searches, fatalities in Chinese coal mine accidents represent more than 50% of mining deaths worldwide.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...siness-11497070

 

 

So we are happy for chinese miners to die, the country to be polluted to give us cheap coal and other things, while we stand by and watch our own manufacturing and mining industries die, just because we insist on buying cheap, cheaper, cheapest. Despite all of the hand wringing and noble words, it seems that money is the only thing we really care about.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Sergeant Bilko

[CaptainPanic]

The best way for the USA to reduce pollution is to put a pollution tax on all Chinese imports, unless the products have been certified to have come from a factory that meets minimum environmental standards. Making it expensive for American companies to meet environmental regulations while allowing Americans free access to Chinese products gives an unfair advantage to corporations that own factories in China. Factories in the EU or USA that want to try to be more eco-friendly have trouble competing with China.

 

I think that's a fantastic idea. But I have a feeling that you and me are a very tiny minority who give a damn. The majority of people would get very upset if some products become a lot more expensive. And obviously, if you pay an additional tax on all dirty products, a lot of things get more expensive.

 

It is a well known economic fact that the economy must grow. I am afraid that your plan goes straight against the first commandment of the Economy.

 

The only real solution I see is that the Chinese decide for themselves to clean up the mess.

[JustinW]

Seargent Bilko,

 

Its not just pollution that we are outsourcing to China in our deperate hunger for cheap goods, its health and safety in general also. Coal mines around the world are closing so that we can import cheap coal from China. One of the things that make it cheap are the lack of safety for the miners. According to google searches, fatalities in Chinese coal mine accidents represent more than 50% of mining deaths worldwide.

 

Being in the mine safety industry, I keep a fairly good track on these numbers. Over the past decade that number has risen to about 80%. After the mine act in the 70s, mine fatalities dropped dramatically here in the US. It inturn improved the overall industry, allowing it to better prosper. I have always wondered why China hasn't done the same.