Pictures of the contaminated pools in North China’s Hebei province went viral on April 18, 2017 after a report from an environment organization disclosed the pollution. According to Dacheng County in Hebei Province, where two reportedly polluted pools -- 170,000 square meters and 30,000 square meters -- were formed by years of digging, illegal dumping of waste acid in 2013 contaminated water and soil in the areas. The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said it has sent two investigations teams to look at the sewage pits and ordered local authorities to intensify monitoring of water and soil in and around the polluted pools.(Photo/Xinhua)
