Our oceans cover approximately 75% of the planet Earth.
resources come from these waters including fish and plants. The air around us is what keeps the .
flame of life from fading and flickering out. Why would anyone pollute these precious parts of .
our ecosystem? Well they are, and pollution laws should be strengthened and vigorously .
enforced no matter what the cost.
China, a country with an extensive coast line, should work harder to protect its marine .
environment. According to the theme of the international Year of the Ocean, 1998, oceans are .
the common inheritance of all people, it is therefore our responsibility to protect the oceans for .
future generations. So then why is there a "large-scale discharge of waste containing nutrients .
with nitrogen and phosphorus contributing to the killing of 300 tons of fish" (China .
environment Daily). The paper said that a total of 2.9 billion tons of sewage were discharged .
into the waters at South China's Pearl River mouth in 1997, with a rate treatment of less than .
10%. This large amount of discharge of harmful land-sourced substances into the seas has .
posed a major threat to the marine environment. The current law, which merely restricts the .
concentration of pollutants, is not effective enough to guarantee a high quality of seawater. .
This is an effect of the legislation lacking articles concerning the quantity of the discharged .
wastes. The disastrous "red tide" which hit the coastal waters of China's Guangdong Province .
and Hong Kong between March and April of 1998, is a direct result of this lackingness. .
In August of 1982, China adopted the Law on Marine Environment Protection, which .
went into effect March of "83. Regulations such as: Regulations Concerning the Prevention .
Damage to the Marine Environment by Coastal Construction Projects (1990), Regulations .
Concerning the Prevention of Pollution Damage to the Marine Environment by Land-based .