ABSTRACT
Environmental degradation has accompanied the region's economic progress. Steel mills, ore smelters, chemical and electrical plants, and other "dark pockets" of heavy industry have exacted huge social and health costs, as have nuclear contamination and misguided agriculture policies that have decimated natural resources. The legacy of environmental degradation is felt across the region and will likely have severe and long-lasting consequences for children, who are particularly vulnerable to the ill effects of polluted air, soil, and water.
