One third of Yellow river unfit for use, study shows

One third of the Yellow river, one of the longest in the world, is unusable for any purpose because of pollution, according to research. The river supplies water to millions of people in northern China. Factory waste and sewage have diminished its quality in recent years, the Yellow River Conservancy Commission said. The commission, which analysed more than 8,384 miles of the river, found that only 16% of samples reached a standard safe for household use. Li Xiaoqiang, a commission spokesman, called for harmony "between development ... and protection of the river". Tania Branigan in Beijing