China’s Pollution Crackdown Sparks Company Closings, Protests

China’s crackdown on polluters is reverberating throughout the country’s supply chains as more companies are forced to shut or slow down for environmental violations and workers take to the streets to protest.

Since April, Chinese authorities have been telling factories and businesses that fail environmental inspections or air, water, and soil pollution to close their doors until they pay for permits, fines, and equipment upgrades to control pollution. The move is prompting worker distress and protests.

Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing municipality, has been under particular scrutiny as authorities attempted to clear the air around the heavily industrialized city ahead ...