Pollution in China

China mines 70% of the world’s rare earths and processes 90% which is where most of the contamination comes from. Mining and processing rare earth elements (REEs) in China have significantly contaminated the Yellow River and surrounding environments. Chinese people, particularly those living along the Yellow River basin, have been and continue to be adversely affected by the river's condition, with issues ranging from historical catastrophic floods to modern-day severe pollution and ecological degradation. Cancer rates—particularly digestive tract cancers—are elevated and, in some cases, rising in rural areas near the polluted middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Environmental contamination, specifically polluted drinking water, is considered a key factor, with high-incidence "cancer villages" identified in these regions. In spite of this China continues to manufacture solar panels and parts for wind mills and selling them to the US. In addition, the West is the biggest manufacture of high-tech products that need these rare earths. Not only do they have to contend with bad water but as of April 2026 air quality in China remains poor, with some major cities experiencing air in the unhealthy range posing serious risk to residence especially children and elderly. These problems are rarely reported in the West.