VATIS UPDATE Article

Chinese authorities have imposed stringent regulations on workshops whose activities damage the ecosystem. Guiyu, a township in Guangdong province, has developed a cleaner, healthier atmosphere since strict restrictions on the disposal of electronic waste – including televisions, air conditioners, washing machines, cellphones and computers – came into force in 2013.

Known as the e-waste capital of the world since the 1990s, Guiyu has grown into a major hub for its disposal. “In its heyday, more than 100,000 people, about 50 percent of the permanent residents, made a living dismantling electronic equipment to harvest the expensive metals inside,” said Lin Qiurong, head of the township government.

It seemed that on every street, people could be seen heating circuit boards over coal fires to recover lead, while others used acid to burn out copper or bits of gold. Before the restrictions were imposed three years ago, Guiyu’s e-waste industry recovered about 20 metric tons of gold and 450,000 tons of copper every year.