InfoAnda - As economy grows, so do China's garbage woes

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Google to offer websites to Canada small business | | 30 March 2011
Columbo actor Peter Falk dead at 83 | | 25 June 2011
Gawker.com sued for posting Palin book excerpts | | 23 November 2010

North Korea says agrees more U.S. talks | | 1 August 2011

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : As economy grows, so do China's garbage woes

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam As economy grows, so do China's garbage woes By CHICHI ZHANG,Associated Press Writer - Monday, October 12 Send IM Story Print ZHANGLIDONG, China – Visitors can smell this village long before they see it. More than 100 dump trucks piled high with garbage line the narrow road leading to Zhanglidong, waiting to empty their loads in a landfill as big as 20 football fields. In less than five years, the Zhengzhou Comprehensive Waste Treatment Landfill has overwhelmed this otherwise pristine village of about 1,000 people. Peaches and cherries rot on trees, infested with insect life drawn by the smell. Fields lie unharvested, contaminated by toxic muck. Every day, another 100 or so tons of garbage arrive from nearby Zhengzhou, a provincial capital of 8 million. "Life here went from heaven to hell in an instant," says lifelong resident Wang Xiuhua, swatting away clouds of mosquitoes and flies. The 78-year-old woman suddenly coughs uncontrollably and says the landfill gases inflame her bronchitis. As more Chinese ride the nation's economic boom, a torrent of garbage is one result. Cities are bursting at the seams, and their officials struggle to cope. The amount of paper, plastic and other garbage has more than tripled in two decades to about 300 million tons a year, according to Nie Yongfeng, a waste management expert at Beijing's Tsinghua University. Americans are still way ahead of China in garbage; a population less than a quarter the size of China's 1.3 billion generated 254 million tons of garbage in 2007, a third of which is recycled or composted, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But for China, the problem represents a rapid turnabout from a generation ago, when families, then largely rural and poor, used and reused everything. "Trash was never complicated before, because we didn't have supermarkets, we didn't have fancy packaging and endless things to buy," said Nie. "Now suddenly, the government is panicking about the mountains of garbage piling up with no place to put it all." In Zhanglidong, villagers engage in shouting matches with drivers and sometimes try to bodily block their garbage trucks coming from Zhengzhou, 20 miles away. "Zhengzhou is spotless because their trash is dumped into our village," says Li Qiaohong, who blames it for her 5-year-old son's eczema. Li's family is one of a few who live within 100 meters (300 feet) of the landfill, separated from it by a fence. These families get 100 yuan ($15) a month in government compensation. The dump has poisoned not just the air and ground, but relationships. Villagers say they were never consulted, and suspect their Communist Party officials were paid to accept the landfill. In China, especially in rural regions, there is often no recourse once local officials make a decision. The villagers say not only were their petitions ignored, but they were warned by the Zhengzhou police to stop protesting or face punishment. "We villagers were too naive ... we didn't know what a landfill was," said Li. "If we had known earlier about all the pollution it would cause, we would had done everything possible to stop the construction process. Now it's too late." Elsewhere, thousands of farmers in the central province of Hubei clashed with police last year over illegal dumping near their homes. A person filming the clash died after being beaten by police. Protests in cities are driving trash to the countryside. Residents in central Beijing swarmed the offices of the Ministry of Environment last year, protesting the stench from a landfill and plans for a new incinerator there. In July, officials scrapped the incinerator plan and closed the landfill four years early. In eastern Beijing, local officials invested millions of dollars to make the Gao An Tun landfill and incinerator one of a handful in China to meet global health standards. That was after 200,000 residents petitioned for a year about the smell. "Our standard of living is improving, so it's natural that more and more of us begin to fight for a better quality of life," says Zhang Jianhua, 67, one of the petitioners. "Widespread media coverage embarrassed the local government, so they finally decided to take action," she says. After millennia as a farming society, China expects to be majority urban in five years. Busy families are shifting from fresh to packaged foods, consumption of which rose 10.8 percent a year from 2000 to 2008, well above the 4.2 percent average in Asia, according to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. By 2013, the packaged-food market is expected to reach $195 billion, up 74 percent from last year. At least 85 percent of China's seven billion tons of trash is in landfills, much of it in unlicensed dumps in the countryside. Most have only thin linings of plastic or fiberglass. Rain drips heavy metals, ammonia, and bacteria into the groundwater and soil, and the decomposing stew sends out methane and carbon dioxide. Regulations allow incinerators to emit 10 times the level of dioxins permitted in the U.S., and these release cancer-causing dioxins and other poisons, according to a Chinese government study. "If the government doesn't step up efforts to solve our garbage woes, China will likely face an impending health crisis in the coming decade," warns Liu Yangsheng, an expert in waste management at Peking University. In Zhanglidong, resident Zheng Dongxiao says the village's only water well is polluted and causing chronic ulcers. Wang Ling, a spokesman for the Zhengzhou Ministry of Environment, said the landfill has a polyethylene liner to protect the ground beneath. "Test results of the local soil, water, and air quality, in 2006 and this year, showed that everything was in line with national standards," he told The Associated Press. Residents say the liner has tears and only covers a fraction of the landfill. The government knows its garbage disposal will always draw complaints, says Liu. "What they need to do is invest more money into building and maintaining better plants." That remains a tall order in a country bent on growth, where economic planners hold more sway than environmental regulators and are loath to spend scarce funds on waste management. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles US choppers bring aid in stricken Philippine city AP - Monday, October 12 UN chief acknowledges fraud in Afghan vote AP - Monday, October 12 Police say Irish priest abducted in Philippines AP - Monday, October 12 Commandos storm Pakistan army HQ, freeing 39 hostages AFP - Monday, October 12 Gunmen abduct Irish priest in southern Philippines: police AFP - Monday, October 12 News Search Top Stories Dollar facing 'power-shift': analysts Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain Russian economy to shrink 7.5% in 2009: Medvedev First clown in space lands back on Earth Opel rescue dogged by European divisions More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Boyzone singer Gately dies in Spain First clown in space lands back on Earth Obama slams big business on credit reforms Airlines set own emission targets NASA blasts moon with rocket in search for water More Most Viewed » Oldest hominid skeleton sheds light on human origins More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Monday, 12 October 2009
US envoy leaves Mideast without peace talks deal
N.Ireland republican group 'to renounce violence'
Three blasts kill at least 16 in western Iraq
Abbas defends delay of Gaza war crime report vote | International |
Triple attacks kill 19 in western Iraqi city
Afghan vote fraud 'significant': UN special envoy
Victim's parents hang young Iranian murderer
Chavez says Obama did nothing to deserve Nobel | International |
Sri Lanka's president scores new election win | International |
U.S. experts train Iraqis to tackle bomb scourge
'Sixteen killed' in western Iraq car bombs
Phase 1 of PCB removal on Hudson wrapping up
CDC official downplays risk from swine flu vaccine
Profile of W.P. Snyder Jr. paddlewheel towboat
Groups help imperiled Iraqis come to US
US choppers bring aid in stricken Philippine city
UN chief acknowledges fraud in Afghan vote
Police say Irish priest abducted in Philippines
Commandos storm Pakistan army HQ, freeing 39 hostages
Gunmen abduct Irish priest in southern Philippines: police
Senate GOP leader says he would back troop request
50,000 short of water in south China drought
Obamas attend Episcopal church near White House
Pakistan nukes safe despite militant threat: Clinton
McCain says Palin remains strong force in the GOP
Philippines speeds up relief in typhoon-hit north
As economy grows, so do China's garbage woes
Afghan outlook bleak as Taliban grabs territory
China raises limit on foreign investment in stocks
Vince Vaughn victorious with "Couples Retreat"
Director Polanski feels depressed in jail: lawyer
Chinese directors pay tribute to quake-hit city
Indonesia detains 260 Sri Lankan migrants
Vince Vaughn victorious with Couples Retreat | Entertainment |
Boyzone singer Gately, 33, dies in Mallorca | Entertainment |
Ahmadinejad sees no obstacle to further nuclear talks
Environment activists occupy British parliament roof
Pakistan bombs militants, ground offensive imminent | International |
Mexico shuts down state-run power company
South Korea seeks talks with North on deadly floods | International |
Nobel Economics Prize wraps up awards season
Palestinians vow new push for war crimes report
Philippines orders rice imports as typhoon costs mount | International |
US Marines sweep 'Taliban' villages for home-made bombs
Dollar facing 'power-shift': analysts
Mitterrand, hit by sex furor, wins fresh support | International |
Insurers escalate criticism of health overhaul
Gay activists march for 'equality,' 'freedom' in US
Gay rights advocates march on DC, divided on Obama
Man arrested in '68 hijacking of flight from NY
Wash. landslide blocks highway, forces evacuations
Filipino troops search for kidnapped Irish priest
Attacks demonstrate Taliban resurgence in Pakistan
Filipino police search for kidnapped Irish priest
Official: Census takers want teams after Ky. death
Australia resettles boat explosion survivors
Schwarzenegger OKs school bill required by US law
Russian spacecraft with circus tycoon lands safely
1 adult killed, students hurt in Idaho bus crash
Omaha police search for suspect in street shooting
China mine owners flee after accident kills 14: report
Thousands of 'Red Shirts' rally against Thai govt: police
California tests ignition devices for DUI drivers
News
S.Korea says to keep close eye on house prices
Seoul shares weighed by refiners;Lotte Shopping up
Japanese stock markets closed for national holiday
Korea Hot Stocks
S.Korea fin min reaffirms to keep easing policy
Seoul shares open up on techs, Hyundai Heavy
NZ guest nights flat in August
First clown in space hosts show to save Earth's water | Entertainment |
Former East German model city fears ghost town future
A bruising 'Oleanna' tackles political correctness
Gately, of Irish boy band Boyzone, dies in Spain
Streisand pulls off US, British charts double
Filmmaker Nichols graduates to AFI lifetime honor
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Boyzone singer Gately, 33, dies in Mallorca
China, sector crisis to dominate Frankfurt Book Fair
Pope canonises 'lepers' apostle' and four others
Armenia leader to pursue thaw in Turkey visit
Britain announces £16 bln state asset sell-off
US-TECH Summary
Poorer nations to get donated swine flu vaccine: WHO
China bans foreign investment in online games industry
Policeman, attacker hurt in Milan blast
UK halts business with Iran firms on nuclear fears
North Korea fires missiles | International |
Recession-hit Britain to sell off state assets
Advancing Marines test new Afghan war doctrine | International |
China sentences six to death over Xinjiang riots | International |
UK halts business with Iran firms on nuclear fears | International |
Polls show Russians back crisis plan: Putin's party | International |
Indonesia confirms two wanted militants killed | International |
Israel not undermining al-Aqsa foundations: Netanyahu | International |
Kenyan police arrest American heading for Somalia | International |
Watchdog alters Afghan recount rules | International |
Four Sudan Islamists to hang for US diplomat murder
Afghan member of panel investigating vote resigns
AP NewsAlert
Clinton vows help to solve N. Ireland deadlock
Disease outbreak concerns after Indonesian quake
Stars in singing tribute on Lowery's 88th birthday
Suspect in 1968 hijacking 'arrested in NY'
Arthur Levinson quits Google board amid govt scrutiny | Technology |
Yale to hold memorial service for slain student
Blast near Pakistan's Swat valley kills 41
Acer sees revenue up as tech demand returns | Technology |
Tropical storm in Pacific strengthens off Mexico
US wants 'new relationship' if Karzai re-elected
Analysis: Vitriol, invective at the speed of light
Bangladesh police: Man confesses to 11 slayings
China bans foreign investment in online games industry | Technology |
A 6.4-magnitude quake hits South Pacific
Malaysian state offers free trips to warring couples
NM school goes from worst to among best in 3 years
Energy high on agenda for Putin visit to China
Indonesia remembers Bali bombing
China asks WTO to rule on trade dispute with EU
Tengzhong seeks govt approval for Hummer deal
Philippines readies rice imports after typhoons
Taiwan dollar falls on U.S. rate expectations
India August industrial production jumps 10.4 pct
India industrial output surges
India August industrial production surges 10.4 pct
China's Huijin new shares purchases: banks
Seoul shares slip on refiners; Lotte rises
Vietnam launches 3G mobile services
New Michael Jackson single hits the airwaves | Entertainment |
Former flight attendant sues Oprah over sex claim | Entertainment |
Up rises again overseas | Entertainment |
ETimor lawmakers attack govt on militia leader
Australians mourn Bali blast victims
UK artist shrugs off critics of Trafalgar piece
Iraqis finally enjoy a night at the theatre
New Michael Jackson single hits the airwaves
"Up" rises again overseas
Former flight attendant sues Oprah over sex claim
Bertrand Russell 'maths comic' hits bestseller lists
Filipino directors: Don't pander to festivals
Michael Jackson's new song released
Television 'ban' for Australian toddlers: report
Discreet sex education breaks Indian taboo
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01