We all know that China’s industrial boom, much of which has been concentrated in Guangdong Province, has come at a considerable cost to the environment.

We also know that food safety scares are never far away from the headlines here in the Pearl River Delta.

But even to a hardened expat, the latest information on the safety of the region’s vegetables as revealed by an agriculture official is shocking.

Shenzhen Daily has the story:

The official, Yu Jian’e, said the spread of heavy metals used in manufacturing, such as arsenic, cadmium, copper and mercury, was a “regional problem, covering a large area” after Guangdong’s decades-long industrial boom.

“As a result, about 10 to 20 percent of vegetables grown in nine vegetable production centers, including Dongguan, Conghua and [Guangzhou’s] Panyu [District], were tested and found to contain more heavy metals than the country’s safety levels allow,” Yu said.

The possible effects of this do not make for pleasant reading.

Traces of lead, chromium, zinc and nickel were also found in some vegetables. Such heavy metals can accumulate in the body over the years, causing organ and nerve damage and even cancer.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said pollution in the Pearl River Delta was among the worst in the country due to its large concentration of electronics manufacturers, electroplating plants, and leather and textile workshops.

Emissions from cars don’t help either.

The brilliant bilingual blog China Dialogue offers news and in-depth analysis of the nation’s environmental issues.