Acid rain in China

In China, concern about the possible effects of acid rain emerged later than in Europe and North
America. The first reports in the international literature regarding acid rain in China appeared in the 1980s
[1]. A major cause of acid rain in China is the extensive use of coal, which in 2004 accounted for 69% of
the energy production [2]. Oil generated 23% [Figure 1]. Consumption of coal and oil and subsequent
emissions of SO2 have increased rapidly since the 1970s [Figure 2]. After a couple of years of apparently
decreasing SO2 emissions, the rate of increase is currently faster than ever. The recent annual growth in
the coal consumption has been ~20% [3]. The national average content of sulfur in the coal is 1.1%, but in
some heavily industrialized areas in the southwest, the sulfur content can be as high as 4%. Oil is also a
substantial source of sulfur to the atmosphere. The total emissions of SO2 to the atmosphere in China
were ~22 million metric tons (t) in 2003. This is more than the total anthropogenic European emissions of
17 million t in 2002 and the U.S. emissions of 10 million t in 2002.

Figure 1

Figure 2
 Table 1. Reference price of material maintenance or replacement

SN Material Price
(Yuan/m2)
1. Cement 29
2. Brick 86
3. Aluminium 266
4. Painted Wood 27
5. Marble 266

Table 2. Estimated exposure inventory of various materials in China.

SN Material Material Exposure Inventory
(10 Thousand m2 )
1. Cement 987,851
2. Brick 1,311,989
3. Aluminium 579,280
4. Painted Wood 97,902
5. Marble 427,495

Bibliography

[1] Z. D, "Air Pollution and acid rain in China," Ambio, vol. 15, pp. 2-5, 1986.

[2] BP, "Statistical Review of World," www.bp.com/statisticalreview, 2005.

[3] SEEPA, "Report on the State of the Environment in China," www.zhb.gov.cn/english/SOE/soechina

2003, 2003;2004.