(January 20, 2002) ‘Mrs Song never had much interest in politics but when factory pollution began poisoning well water and killing crops, the young mother got angry.’

(Excerpt)

Xinchang: Mrs Song never had much interest in politics but when factory pollution began poisoning well water and killing crops, the young mother got angry. After an industrial park housing several chemical plants went up on the outskirts of her town in China’s wealthy, coastal province of Zhejiang the water became undrinkable. Then crops began producing vegetables that were unfit to eat. Residents say rates of cancer sky-rocketed and Song says her 5-year-old son is prone to frequent lung infections.

Reuters, January 20, 2002