China produces an estimated 2.6 million metric tons of zinc contents per year, which is three times as much as the U.S. Zinc remnants from plating plants often gets discharged into China's water supply. Additionally, China does not enforce environmental laws as strictly as the United States.
In 2006, the United States manufactured a total of 727,000 metric tons of zinc content. Though the United States produces about 6 percent of the world's zinc supply, it is the world's leading consumer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates clean water and air laws regarding zinc plating to limit pollution.
About half of the world's annually produced 11 billion tons of zinc is used for galvanization. Galvanized products are primarily used in commercial and residential construction like metal roofing, screws and steel frames. Additionally, galvanized steel is heavily utilized in the automotive industry, as well as in electrical goods.