Current Issue of Illegal Pesticide Residue in the East China Sea - September 2024
Even in the 2020s, the problem of residual organochlorine pesticides, particularly Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), remains a serious environmental issue in the East China Sea. A 2023 survey found that the concentration of HCH in seawater about 200 km west of Amami Oshima reached 120 picograms per liter, while the central East China Sea saw concentrations as high as 500 picograms per liter. This pesticide was widely used in the Yangtze River basin in China and is believed to still be entering the East China Sea through river systems.
In the Yangtze River basin, large quantities of HCH were used in past agricultural activities, and the pesticide is now believed to be flowing into the ocean through rainfall and irrigation systems, passing through industrial cities like Shanghai and Nanjing. The combination of large-scale river transport and urban wastewater has resulted in widespread contamination. The impact on the East China Sea's marine resources is also severe, with reports of pesticide residue being detected in seafood caught near coastal cities like Dalian and Qingdao.
Regarding corporate responses, Chinese agricultural companies have failed to implement adequate environmental management, and the past HCH pollution persists. As a result, agricultural runoff continues to flow into the rivers, causing extensive marine pollution in the East China Sea.
In the 2020s, the Chinese government introduced new environmental management systems in some cities, strengthening pesticide usage regulations and wastewater treatment. However, in large-scale agricultural areas, the flow of pollutants continues. Additionally, neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea are cooperating with China on international efforts, conducting joint investigations and working on removing pollutants from the ocean. However, it is expected to take more time to fully contain the spread of contamination.
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