Cheap Made-in-China Products Cost Environment

Cheap made-in-China products filled discount stores such as Wal-Mart and Target around the US. They are also making the record-high trade deficit between US and China. Although Chinese has a large population with more diligent an better educated workers, but one key factor that contributes to the low manufacturing cost of made-in-China products is the zero liability of environment damage.

Mr. Ma Jun, the director of the Research Institute of Public and Environment, an Non-government organization, provided a list of 33 foreign invested companies, who took advantage the ignorance of environment in the rush to making economic progress in China.

Riding the bureaucracy, corruption, and greedy of local government, these foreign invested companies were able to omit any environment issues they would have to face in their home countries, or practically anywhere else in the world. Not only they enjoy the much looser regulation, if any exist, on environment in China, but also they can get away from ignoring them. Many foreign companies have become the biggest pollution makers in China. Among the list:
Shanghai Panasonic Battery,
Changchun Pepsi;
Shanghai Nestle;
Shanghai 3M;
American Standard;
Shanghai Pizzahut;
Xiamen Noell Crane Systems;
Zhejiang Purolite;
Hunan Yamah

Ma Changbo, Xunan, Investigation of Pollution Produced by Foreign Companies, Nanfang Weekend, Oct 26th, 2006;
China Water Pollution Data Center