AMBI02012,41:370-379 D0110.1007/s13280-012-0249-6 REVIEW PAPER Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in China: Causes and Mitigation Measures Bo Sun,Linxiu Zhang,Linzhang Yang,Fusuo Zhang,David Norse, Zhaoliang Zhu Received:28 September 2010/Revised:31 December 2011/Accepted:12 January 2012/Published online:5 February 2012 Abstract Non-point source (NPS)pollution has been now the largest user of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers in the increasingly serious in China since the 1990s.The increases world.However,this agro-chemical-based intensive agri- of agricultural NPS pollution in China is evaluated for the culture has contributed substantially to the emission of the period 2000-2008 by surveying the literature on water and very powerful greenhouse gases CH,and N2O,and the entry soil pollution from fertilizers and pesticides,and assessing of pollutants(excessive nitrogen and phosphorus,pesticide the surplus nitrogen balance within provinces.The main and heavy metals)into water bodies and soils(Smil 1997). causes for NPS pollution were excessive inputs of nitrogen These pollutants have adverse effects on environmental fertilizer and pesticides,which were partly the result of the quality and public health,for example,eutrophication of inadequate agricultural extension services and the rapid lakes and streams,soil contamination by heavy metals and expansion of intensive livestock production with little of the accumulation of pesticide residues in food. waste management.The annual application of synthetic The response to these problems since the 1960s has been nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides in China increased by to shift agricultural policies and R&D programmes towards 50.7 and 119.7%,respectively,during 1991-2008.The a more sustainable growth path.This has led to the devel- mitigation measures to reduce NPS pollution include:cor- opment of many new techniques and integrated resource rect distortion in fertilizer prices;improve incentives for the management practices that can mitigate the adverse effects recycling of organic manure;provide farmers with better of intensive farming on the environment (Conway 1994, information on the sound use of agro-chemicals;and tighten 1997).However,controlling NPS pollution at the regional, the regulations and national standards on organic waste national and local scale is a complex and difficult problem disposal and pesticides use. which can take decades to overcome,for example,reduc- tion of nitrate pollution in the EU.This study analyses the Keywords Non-point source pollution. reasons for increasing NPS pollution in China,then put Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.Organic manure. forwards mitigation measures for NPS pollution control that Agricultural policy.Mitigation strategy are primarily for crop production and need to be comple- mented by other measures to control NPS pollution from the livestock sector. INTRODUCTION China is facing the challenge of feeding her large and STATUS OF NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION increasing population with a limited and decreasing culti- FROM CROP PRODUCTION IN CHINA vated land while achieving a clean and safe environment(Fu 2008).After the onset of the green revolution in the 1950s, Water Pollution from Crop Fertilization increasing inputs of inorganic fertilisers,organic manures and pesticides became the principal means globally and in Water bodies in China have become seriously polluted China of attaining high-crop yields and,indirectly,greater since the 1990s and there have been no marked improve- livestock production(FAO 2008).Consequently,China is ments in recent years.China has 4880 lakes,covering a Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2012 Springer www.kva.se/enREVIEW PAPER Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in China: Causes and Mitigation Measures Bo Sun, Linxiu Zhang, Linzhang Yang, Fusuo Zhang, David Norse, Zhaoliang Zhu Received: 28 September 2010 / Revised: 31 December 2011 / Accepted: 12 January 2012 / Published online: 5 February 2012 Abstract Non-point source (NPS) pollution has been increasingly serious in China since the 1990s. The increases of agricultural NPS pollution in China is evaluated for the period 2000-2008 by surveying the literature on water and soil pollution from fertilizers and pesticides, and assessing the surplus nitrogen balance within provinces. The main causes for NPS pollution were excessive inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides, which were partly the result of the inadequate agricultural extension services and the rapid expansion of intensive livestock production with little of waste management. The annual application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides in China increased by 50.7 and 119.7%, respectively, during 1991-2008. The mitigation measures to reduce NPS pollution include: cor￾rect distortion in fertilizer prices; improve incentives for the recycling of organic manure; provide farmers with better information on the sound use of agro-chemicals; and tighten the regulations and national standards on organic waste disposal and pesticides use. Keywords Non-point source pollution Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers Organic manure Agricultural policy Mitigation strategy INTRODUCTION China is facing the challenge of feeding her large and increasing population with a limited and decreasing culti￾vated land while achieving a clean and safe environment (Fu 2008). After the onset of the green revolution in the 1950s, increasing inputs of inorganic fertilisers, organic manures and pesticides became the principal means globally and in China of attaining high-crop yields and, indirectly, greater livestock production (FAO 2008). Consequently, China is now the largest user of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers in the world. However, this agro-chemical-based intensive agri￾culture has contributed substantially to the emission of the very powerful greenhouse gases CH4 and N2O, and the entry of pollutants (excessive nitrogen and phosphorus, pesticide and heavy metals) into water bodies and soils (Smil 1997). These pollutants have adverse effects on environmental quality and public health, for example, eutrophication of lakes and streams, soil contamination by heavy metals and the accumulation of pesticide residues in food. The response to these problems since the 1960s has been to shift agricultural policies and R&D programmes towards a more sustainable growth path. This has led to the devel￾opment of many new techniques and integrated resource management practices that can mitigate the adverse effects of intensive farming on the environment (Conway 1994, 1997). However, controlling NPS pollution at the regional, national and local scale is a complex and difficult problem which can take decades to overcome, for example, reduc￾tion of nitrate pollution in the EU. This study analyses the reasons for increasing NPS pollution in China, then put forwards mitigation measures for NPS pollution control that are primarily for crop production and need to be comple￾mented by other measures to control NPS pollution from the livestock sector. STATUS OF NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION FROM CROP PRODUCTION IN CHINA Water Pollution from Crop Fertilization Water bodies in China have become seriously polluted since the 1990s and there have been no marked improve￾ments in recent years. China has 4880 lakes, covering a 123 Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2012 www.kva.se/en AMBIO 2012, 41:370–379 DOI 10.1007/s13280-012-0249-6