Beginning in 1997, scientists were able to document the alarming fact that throughout the 1950s and ‘60s chemical weapons were dismantled, without proper environmental oversight, 10km northwest of the town of Leonidovka, in the Russian state of Penza Oblast. The polluted area covers 65,800 acres of forest, where the plantlife, soil, and water all tested positive for arsenic, dioxins, and heavy metals at levels that were hazardous to human health. Locals also fear that toxins have penetrated into groundwater supplies and can be pushed back to the surface after heavy rains.

Map Ta Phut is a 176,000-acre industrial zone located in the province of Rayong, about 137 miles by road from Bangkok. Originally a sleepy fishing and agricultural community on the Gulf of Thailand, its bay made it attractive for docking deep-sea vessels used in the transport of natural gas. In the 70's, Map Ta Phut was designated by the government as a future home for Thailand's petrochemical and heavy industries. Today, there are around 104 factories in the area.