China’s Yellow River “10% sewage”

Untreated sewage from factory discharges and urban centres now accounts for 10% of the Yellow River's flow, the China Daily reported a Chinese environmental group as saying.
English
The volume of waste water flowing into the river, China’s second longest, doubled from 2 billion tonnes to 4.3 billion between 1980 and 2005, Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the newspaper. "It now accounts for about one-tenth of its total volume," Ma said.

Polluters had little incentive to curb effluents, Ma added. "For companies that pollute, it is cheaper to break the law and pay the fine than it is to abide by the rules."