Toxic Yellow Dust Increasing in China

China’s Yellow Dust Increasing in Toxicity

China’s annual springtime “yellow dust” storms start in the Gobi Desert and make their way southward, hitting up the Korean peninsula and some of Japan. This sand is mixed with toxic dust, making the dust even worse than in previous years.

Millions of tons of sand are carried over to Korea during the spring months. The Korea Environment Institute said the dust kills over 150 South Koreans a year and makes up to 1.8 million people ill, while causing up to five billion dollars in damage.

Further Problems with Yellow Dust in China and South Korea

Schools were shut down in South Korea on Monday as sand and toxic dust from China swept over the country. Elementary and kindergarten school students were urged to stay indoors to avoid the harmful storm. Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the second-largest memory chip company, said it was improving its filtration systems and would make employees take longer air showers to get dust off of them before it contaminates their products.

The Meteorological Administration stated it was the first major storm of the season, but cold air coupled with little rainfall means that more storms are on their way during the month of March.

What’s worse is that these storms have begun increasing in toxicity and regularity. China’s recent economic growth means more industrial toxins in the air, so that the dust picks up carcinogens like dioxin as it passes through these regions. These are then passed on to Korea and Japan during the storm.




Copyright 2008 Matty Byloos

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