Webloggin » China Corners Market on Manufacturing and the Weather

China will use rockets in an attempt to move rain out of the Beijing area during the Olympics; this is much different than what they usually use the weather rocket method for. Normally Beijing is short on water, so to combat this they shoot “chemical-infused rockets” into the clouds to spur rainfall.

China will fire rockets into the sky to scatter any rain clouds ahead of next year’s Beijing Olympics to ensure perfect weather, state media said on Tuesday.[snip]

Beijing, which is chronically short of water, is well practiced at firing chemical-infused rockets into clouds to prompt a much-needed downpour, but organizers concede rain prevention remains a much tougher prospect.

I’m wondering if this is a safe practice? Is it iodide-infused rocket water safe for people and the environment? It appears that I am not the only one who has expressed concern:

City dwellers have raised concerns about environmental pollution, though meteorologists insist the silver iodide is used in such tiny quantities that it brings no negative health consequences.(MSNBC)

Is it safe or isn’t it? I’m not sure what the answer is; however the United States has messed with Mother Nature’s rain going as far back as 1946.