If environmental pollution has been compromising people's quality of life in China, soil contaminated with heavy metals is eroding the foundation of the country's food safety and becoming a looming public health hazard.

The government is reportedly making a detailed map of the extent to which the country's soil has been contaminated with heavy metals. This will hopefully facilitate action to address and remedy the problem.

A Beijing lawyer's request for information about soil contamination was turned down. The latest attempt to map out polluted areas will be conducive to more sensible and truthful responses to such requests.