Environmental Contamination: Health Risks and Ecological Restoration - Environmental Contamination: Health Risks and Ecological Restoration - page 15

its.abundant.water.resource.and.fertile.soil..Unfortunately,.due.to.its.rapid.
urbanization,. population. growth. and. industrial. development,. the. area. is.
grossly. contaminated. by. overuse. and. abuse. of. pesticides,. fertilizers,. and.
antibiotics,.threatening.food.security.and.safety.in.the.region.
In. addition,. the. area. has. become. an. important. sector. for. manufacturing.
electronic.and.electrical.equipment.and.other.daily.appliances,.which.may.
release.a.large.amount.of.emerging.chemicals.(such.as.lame.retardants).into.
the. environment.. Uncontrolled. recycling. of. e-waste,. both. imported. from.
other.countries.and.generated.domestically,.also.presented.additional.prob-
lems,.which.called.for.international.cooperation..In.time,.each.country.has.to.
deal.with.its.problem.with.environmental.pollution.due.to.increase.of.envi-
ronmental.awareness,.improved.living.standard,.and.tightened.environmen-
tal.regulations,.especially.pressing.are.those.governing.import.of.e-waste.
There.seems.to.be.an.urgent.need.to.safeguard.environmental.quality.and.
human.health,.by.remediating.the.contaminated.sites,.using.cost-effective.and.
green. technology,. especially. after. some. of. the. industries. are. moved. outside.
the.PRD;.a.recent.government.policy.was.imposed.addressing.the.problem.
Acknowledgments
The.author.thanks.the.Research.Grants.Council.of.Hong.Kong.and.Croucher.
Foundation.for.the.continued.support.for.the.past.20.years.and.also.his.col-
leagues.and.research.students.who.have.provided.the.information.described.
in.this.chapter.
References
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