25 May 2009:
Australia and China are joining scientific forces to tackle one
of the world’s most urgent health and environmental
challenges – the toxic contamination of land, water and air
– with the goal of keeping the Chinese economy on a growth
path during the global downturn.
Scientists from five Australian and three Chinese universities are
teaming up under Australia’s CRC CARE (the Cooperative
Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the
Environment) to reduce the risks to human health and safety posed
by pollution resulting from rapid industrial development and at the
same time develop new sources of cheap energy and fertiliser.
The plan, developed through CRC CARE’s Chinese partner HLM
Asia Group Pty Ltd, includes:
- The launch of a research partnership to develop novel ways to
clean up heavily contaminated land and water
- Training a new wave of Chinese clean-up experts to Masters and
Doctoral level in both China and Australia
- Australian and Chinese scientists working together to produce
clean energy from projects which address the problem of
contaminated land.
“This is a vital development for the people of both
countries,” the Managing Director of CRC CARE, Professor Ravi
Naidu said today. “China’s strong economic growth has
led to many problems of contamination and pollution, which its
government, industries and citizens are anxious to overcome.
“China’s economic health is now more vital to Australia
than ever. It is essential for us to partner with China in helping
to solve these problems which could otherwise put a brake on its
development.”
China’s environmental authorities say over 100,000 square
kilometres of farm land is polluted, contaminated water is used to
grow crops on 21,670 square kilometres and a further 1,300 square
kilometres have been destroyed by toxic waste. In total the damaged
area accounts for one tenth of China’s food-producing land
and causes the loss of 12 million tonnes of grain worth $A3bn a
year.
Acid rain falls on nearly a third of the country. The groundwater
used by more than 300 large Chinese cities for drinking also
suffers from industrial pollution.
“In the world recession, China is one of the few economies
with prospects of real growth. This collaboration is very much
about supporting China’s contribution to the global economy
during troubled economic times,” Prof. Naidu says.
The new CRC CARE-China Partnership will work on safe ways to re-use
7 million tones of wastes produced each year by the aluminium
sector, new ways to prevent pollution from China’s 1.8
million piggeries and a novel system for producing clean energy in
the form of ethanol, electricity and fertiliser from
heavily-contaminated land.
“The solutions to these problems will benefit both China and
Australia, as well as being exportable to other countries,”
Prof. Naidu says.
“This could also lead to outstanding export opportunities for
Australia’s highly skilled remediation industry. One of CRC
CARE’s most important goals is to commercialise the new risk
assessment and remediation technologies in Australia and help
Australian companies to export them round the world.
“The development of a scientific alliance with China is an
important step in introducing Australian companies and experts to
partners and opportunities throughout our region – especially
in rapidly industrialising nations. We are already training seven
Chinese PhD students in fields related to contamination prevention
and cleanup.”
“Next year CRC CARE hopes to lead a trade mission to China to
investigate scientific and commercial opportunities.”
Professor Naidu says CRC CARE also has major overseas
collaborations in countries such as South Korea, India and
Bangladesh.
More information:
Professor Ravi Naidu, CRC CARE, 08 8302 5041 or 0407 720 257
Peter Martin, CRC CARE communication, ph 08 8302 3933 or 0429 779
228
peter.martin@crccare.com
