How does china pollution affect the US?

Answer 1

Industrial pollutants from China's increasingly robust use of coal are plating out across the globe, including here in Alaska, brought here by storms crossing the Pacific Ocean transporting tons of airborne chemicals that shower onto coastal waters and inland where it they end up in the local food chain, according to scientists studying the phenomenon.

The scientists doing their sciency thing can study the pollutants to find the original source, which is why they can say as a certainty the pollution in Alaska is coming from China. As well, they are attempting to measure the percentage of overall pollution in the United States coming from China, and the numbers are a little frightening.

A Scientific American article published online this week noted that a brown cloud leaving China is visible from space 'and takes about a week to cross the Pacific to the western U.S., where it accounts for as much as 15 percent of the air pollution.'

Answer 2

Pollution from China can impact the US through the process of atmospheric transport, where pollutants like particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides can be carried across the Pacific Ocean via wind patterns. This can lead to degraded air quality in parts of the US, particularly along the west coast. Additionally, pollutants from China can contribute to global environmental issues such as climate change.