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Article: Clearing up after communism; communist economies are not just inefficient, but horribly polluting. (Europe)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- February 17, 1990
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Communist economies are not just inefficient, but horribly polluting. Our special correspondent visited grimy Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary
DRIVE over the mountains that lie where the borders of Poland, East Germany and Czechoslovakia meet, and your eyes start to water. Look across the valley, and the reason is clear. A band of thick grey mist hangs under the blue sky, shrouding even the near hilltops. "You never see further than this, whatever the weather," says a local. Mile after mile of stunted birches and brown conifers suggest that the mist is sulphurous smog, acid as lemon juice.
Environmental damage has been much worse in Eastern Europe under ...