20,000 tons of trash from Shanghai illegally dumped beside Suzhou’s Lake Tai

On July 1st, police discovered 8 cargo ships, loaded up with around 4,000 tons of trash from Shanghai, dumping all that garbage into an islet near Lake Tai in Jiangsu province
Police caught the ships as one was unloading its stinky cargo and held them in custody. Over 20,000 tons of trash already sat by the lake, which is a major water source for the nearby city of Suzhou, reports National Business Daily. The local government claims that no pollution was detected when it tested the water quality on July 4th.


One ship’s captain told Xinhua that he receives 2,000 RMB for each shipment, which is more than twice what he usually earns. Middlemen who arrange the process typically earn 30 RMB per ton transported, and others involved reap their share of benefits too. A witness claimed that this has been going on since June 12th.
The Shanghai Greening Administration announced on July 5th that it formed a team to help the Suzhou police in its investigation.

At least the trash wasn’t left by tourists, this time.
By Amy Yang
[Images via Xinhua / National Business Daily]