Hazardous Chemical Pollution of the Pearl River

The Pearl River, China’s third longest river, flows into the South China Sea via a large and complex delta. This area, known as the Pearl River Delta (PRD), has undergone rapid urbanisation over recent years and emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic industrial zones, accounting for more than 10% of China’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This rapid growth has contributed to increasing environmental degradation within the PRD and impacts on communities within the area, in part due to the release of hazardous chemicals from industrial sources.