中國將展開新一輪土壤污染調查

China is to unroll a national survey to identify heavy metal hotspots, chemicals and other toxic pollutants as it tries to rectify its $1tn soil pollution blight.

中國將展開全國性調查，以查明重金屬、化學物質和其他有毒污染物熱點區域。目前中國正試圖清理土壤污染，這可能需要投入1萬億美元。

After years of breakneck growth that skated over environmental concerns, the country is starting to recognise the toll on health, quality of life and agricultural productivity. Among the latest casualties, hundreds of students at an elite school in eastern China fell ill because of toxins from a former pesticide site adjacent to its new campus.

在經濟多年快速增長、卻忽視環境問題之後，中國開始意識到污染對健康、生活質量和農業生產率造成的損害。最新的受害者包括華東一所精英學校的數百名學生，新校區旁邊一個原來生產農藥的場地的有毒物質使他們患病。

Chen Jining, environment minister, said the survey would kick off a long-awaited plan for tackling soil pollution, the results of which are expected in May. But geology experts caution that the sensitivity of the issue means it may not be published, noting that an earlier one in 2014 was initially classed a state secret.

中國環保部長陳吉寧表示，這項調查將開啓人們期待已久的治理土壤污染計劃，預計調查結果在5月份即可出爐。但地質專家們警告稱，這個問題的敏感性意味着這些結果可能不會發表。他們指出，2014年出爐的上一次調查結果最初被列爲國家機密。

That survey, published three years after completion, found that about one-fifth of agricultural land is polluted. Yet according to Chen Nengchang, of the independent Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, the survey was imprecise as it relied on soil sampling rather than detailing the worst-polluted sites.

那次調查在完成三年後才發表結果；調查發現中國大約五分之一的農地已被污染。然而，據獨立的廣東省生態環境與土壤研究所(Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences)的陳能場介紹，那次調查不準確，因爲它依賴於土壤取樣，而不是詳細排查污染最嚴重的地點。

Even so, it showed pollution was “worse than expected”, said Lin Jingxing of the Research Center of Earth Environmental Sciences, part of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. “For the next step, we need a clear idea of what’s beneath housing compounds and schools. Not every plot of land should be turned into a construction site.”

中國地質科學院(Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences)地球環境科學研究中心的林景星表示，即便如此，那次調查也表明污染情況“比預期更加糟糕”。“下一步，我們需要對住宅小區和學校地面下的污染情況有一個清晰概念。並不是每一個地塊都應該變成建築用地。”

This is also the most politically sensitive information, as mapping the hotspots would identify the corporations responsible for the pollution, unleash demands for compensation and, local officials fear, make it impossible to sell any agricultural produce or property near those sites.

這也是在政治上最敏感的信息，因爲繪製污染熱點將暴露哪些企業要對污染負責，引發索賠要求，同時當地官員擔心，這將使污染熱點附近的農產品或房地產賣不出去。

As such, Mr Lin cautioned the latest survey may never see the light of day. “The results would have too many negative implications and could cause public panic.” Even so, he said it could still be helpful in spurring government action.

有鑑於此，林景星告誡稱，最新調查可能永遠不會發表。“結果將有太多的負面影響，可能導致公衆恐慌。”但他表示，即便如此，這些結果仍可能有助於刺激政府採取行動。

Ma Jun, head of the non-profit Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs promoting public participation and transparency in solving China’s environmental problems, said the ideal survey would help set priorities and establish a baseline to measure the success of remedial work.

非營利組織——公衆與環境研究中心(Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs)主任馬軍表示，理想的調查將有助於確定優先事項，並建立一個基準來衡量土壤修復工作成功與否。該組織提倡在解決中國的環境問題時促進公衆參與和提高透明度。

“We hope for a more transparent process,” he said. “Mitigation is costly and no one can see the results. It’s not like air pollution where the public can see whether the effort is effective or not.”

“我們希望有一個更透明的過程，”馬軍表示。“治理土壤污染成本很高，而且誰也看不見結果。它不像大氣污染，公衆可以看到治理效果好不好。”

China has invited international soil re-mediation experts, the World Bank and Chinese academics to do pilot remediation projects over the past decade but has rebuffed offers to classify the sources and distribution of soil pollution.

在過去10年中，中國已邀請國際土壤修復專家、世界銀行(World Bank)和中國學者進行修復試點項目，但拒絕了對土壤污染的來源和分佈進行分類的提議。