HAIKOU: Fruit peels, vegetable leaves, deserted clothes, used plastic bottles and bags — an eco-awareness center in south China’s island province of Hainan is trying to find an alternative destination for these items other than trash cans.
In Baishamen eco-awareness center, Haikou City, Zhao Yueying was using a sewing machine to turn secondhand garments donated by local residents into cloth bags, which she will gift to residents and tourists to replace their plastic bags.
“The more cloth bags I make, the less plastic bags will be used. It’s a contribution to the society,” said 83-year-old Zhao, who made four or five bags a day.
China’s campaign to establish an urban garbage sorting system has given the center an extra educational function: here, visitors can explore how common trash can have a second life.
In its yard, dozens of sealed blue tanks contained rotten fruits and deserted vegetables collected from local markets.
Jiang Fujun, Zhao’s son and director of the center, said such kitchen waste, after mixing with water and brown sugar, will turn into “eco-friendly enzymes” after three months. – Agencies
