A raincoat full of holes etched out by acid rain is of course just a cartoonist’s impression on the subject. But in fact, acid rain hurts so much more than your raincoat. It deteriorates soil quality and kills crops. It acidifies surface water and upsets the food chain.
Owing to its vigorous industrial growth and urbanization, China was once the world’s largest polluter of acid rain-causing substances. Fortunately, the authorities were smart enough to engage in timely control and remedial measures so that sulphur dioxide emissions, for instance, is reduced by nearly 10% in 2010 from 2005 levels. But still, it’s just the beginning of the environmental quest. That’s why PolyU researcher Professor Wang Tao, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, started a five-year study on the formation, transport and control of acid rain in China in conjunction with State Environmental Protection Administration of China and the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, with a funding of RMB 25 million from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The project serves to improve air pollution and acid rain condition in China while shedding light on future national policy on harmful emission control.
