Yesterday the Guardian featured a series of pictures showing the appalling impact that China’s growing textile industry is having on the Pearl River delta.
The photos were taken during a Greenpeace China investigation which found high levels of pollution in the southern industrial towns of Xintang – the "jeans capital of the world" and Gurao, a manufacturing town famous for making bras and underwear.
Water pollution is already one of China’s most severe environmental problems. Not only are the country’s water reserves disappearing fast, but according to China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection about 25 per cent of people already drink unsafe water.
Clothing is already one of China’s leading exports and the UK is a significant importer - so it’s partly our consumption that is driving this problem.
With China’s industry and exports increasing rapidly, urgent action is needed to clean up the industry. That’s why this year we'll be intensifying our campaign to expose the companies and industries responsible for polluting China’s rivers.
In the meantime, find out more about the investigation.
