Trends of environmental accidents and impact factors in China |
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Authors: | Pengli Xue and Weihua Zeng |
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Institution: | (1) School of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., Zographou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece |
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Abstract: | An overview of the spatial and temporal variations of the environmental accidents in China in recent years was presented in
this paper using available data. The results showed that the frequency of pollution accidents was significantly decreased,
from 3462 in 1990 to 462 in 2007. The water and air pollution accidents were found to be the dominant types, accounting for
more than 80% of the total accidents. Considering the classification of environmental accidents at 4 scales, the general environmental
accident, i.e., the least serious type, was the most frequent event, taking up 58.98% of the total pollution accidents. In
addition, the distribution of environmental accidents was generally in accordance with the industrial layout in the country
during the past decade. It is very important to note that the extraordinarily severe environmental accidents showed an increasing
trend in underdeveloped regions, which was caused by the transfer and the development of heavy polluted industry in these
areas. As to the losses of environmental accidents, the casualties presented an obvious reduction tendency, while the direct
economic loss per accident tended to climb up. Furthermore, some key factors that affect the spatial and temporal tendencies
of environmental accidents in China were discussed and some suggestions were put forward, hoping to shed light on environmental
risk management and emergency plans making associated with environmental accidents in China. |
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