Chinese Official: Baby Born Every 30 Seconds With Birth Defect Due to Pollution

In a remarkable admission from the Chinese government, a Chinese health official has said that China’s lethal levels of pollution is the reason that a baby is born with defects every 30 seconds in the country. Jiang Fan, vice-minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) made the shocking admission at a conference in Beijing.

China’s environmental disaster is evident in its so-called “cancer villages” and damage to its historic landmarks like the Great Wall.

Much of the pollution linked to this latest report stems from the massive use of coal without proper emission controls and technology.

In 2007, a government study found that birth defects had increased by roughly 40 percent between 2001 and 2006, but did not establish this type of cause and effect relationship.

I recently participated in an environmental conference on the need for fundamental legal reforms to address China’s environmental crisis, including the use of private attorneys general.

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