Again, the problem is more difficult for dispersed emissions from vehicles and domestic sources. The high direct health costs of particulates makes particulate emission reduction a very high priority environmental issue. Technology exists to solve the problem of acid rain, at least for industrial coal use. If coal was cleaned and burned via up to date technology, Asian coal would have minimal environmental impact. Unfortunately, Asian plants either lack pollution control equipment or have only the most basic control of particulates.
Acid rain is also the classic problem of transboundary pollution.
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from Northeast China fall on Korea and Japan, while emissions from Southeast China fall on Vietnam and Southeast Asia. China emits about 18 million tons of sulphur dioxide annually, about 7 million of which comes from power generation. 31 Greenhouse gas emissions by Asian countries, particularly China, are expected to increase dramatically. This contrasts with the major and more direct environmental problems confronting governments in the Asia Pacific region where the adverse impacts on the environment and society are well-known, as are the sorts of actions needed to deal with them. Power generation generates liquid and thermal wastes ranging from ash-quenching systems, cooling water, coal storage runoff, boiler blowdown water and water from flue gas desulphurisation treatments.