Landfill in Xi'an attracts treasure hunters

Scavengers build tents at Jiangcungou Landfill in Xi'an on July 3, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

A man looks for "treasures" at Jiangcungou Landfill in Xi'an on July 3, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

A waste landfill makes summer time the worst season for residents near Xi'an's textile city area. When temperatures rise, an overpowering stench from the garbage fills the air and the locals' noses, a local newspaper reported.

Jiangcungou Landfill in Xi'an is one of the biggest waste landfills in China. It can process up to 7,000 tons of waste each day, according to the newspaper.

"Ever since the landfill was built, the smell became unbearable, especially at night," said Lao Xiao, who has been living in this area for more than 20 years. "I can't open my window at all because there are so many flies and mosquitoes."

Shi Wei, deputy chief of Xi'an Solid Waste Management Department, told the newspaper that they will take more measures in order to reduce the pollution as well as the impact to residents in this area.

However, to some, this filthy and stinky land of waste is treasure.

According to the newspaper, there are more than 200 people who come to the landfills to search for items of value. Most of them are from Sichuan. Sitting in tents among the sea of waste, they take their breaks, eat their lunch and talk about their day.

Tang Min, a woman in her 40s, came to this landfill with her husband, Yang Jun, seven years ago. Tang told the newspaper that she came here because she is able to make more money here than at her old job in a shoe factory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province.

"Working is a hard thing anywhere, and I got used to this environment after a while and decided to stay," Tang said.

She bought her son an apartment in her hometown of Nanchong city in Sichuan for 300,000 yuan with the money she and her husband have made picking garbage in Xi'an.

Yang said other people picking garbage can make about 150 to 200 yuan daily. But with the smelly environment, they sometimes go days without a shower.

"I will go home when I get too old for this work," Tang smiled, not letting the bad working environment get to her at all.