China’s rapid urbanization

Hanson, Matthew
Soc 202
17 August 2006

Current Event Log
Week 1

This article is something I personally found very shocking. It is mainly talking about how China’s rapid urbanization is causing garbage to pile up all over the county. According to China National, “more than 400 out of the 688 cities in China are now awash with garbage.” Apparently more than 7,000 garbage dumps larger than 50 square meters in the suburbs of the four major cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing. When I read all of this, I was appalled at all the staggering numbers. I am guessing that due to all the continuing urbanization, the garbage that’s piling up will soon become a major health risk for these major cities and their surrounding areas. These huge dumps harbor great places for disease and growing bacteria. Because of “insufficient technology,” waste reduction has been a big issue. I believe this is also affecting the country’s economic growth as well. The trash is starting to take up more and more land that was previously used for farming and agriculture. As far as any solutions, I could not think of any myself. Maybe if somehow they could control the population that lives in the city itself, they could cut down on the overall trash and waste accumulation. Other than that, I see no real probable solution. I’m not sure if they have a recycling program implemented, but if not, it would definitely be something to consider. Some cities have labeled dustbins in different categories to encourage residents to separate garbage, but it has been slow to catch on.