Beijing Sweetens Rubbish With Giant Deodorant Guns 111
An anonymous reader writes "Beijing plans to install 100 deodorant guns at a landfill site on the edge of the city in the hopes that it will dampen complaints about the capital's rubbish crisis.The giant fragrance sprayers will be put in place by May at the Asuwei dump site. From the article: 'Municipal authorities say they will also apply more plastic layers to cover the site in response to furious protests by local residents who have to put up with the stench when the wind blows in their direction. The high-pressure guns, which can spray dozens of litres of fragrance per minute over a distance of up to 50m, are produced by several Chinese firms and based on German and Italian technology. They are already in use at several landfill sites, but they are merely a temporary fix.'"
Re:I wonder... (Score:3, Informative)
Less than 4% of Beijing's rubbish is recycled – the UK recycles 35% – but is still near the bottom of the EU recycling league. Two per cent of Beijing's rubbish is burned but the rest is dumped in landfill sites, which cover an area of 333,000 sq m. Cities throughout the country face a similar problem.
Seems like they could make a serious dent in their landfill problems with just a little work.
Polishing a turd... (Score:2, Informative)
This seems pretty appropriate for Chinese Society and Government at large. I have to wonder if logic enters into the decision making process at all.
Take for example when I was living in an Apartment in Beijing where we were having issues with a light fixture in one of my roommates room. After several weeks of prompting to repair guy to sort it out, he comes over at 7am, while I'm getting ready for work, enters the roommates room... Stands on his bed (with his dirty shoes on) WHILE my roommate is still sleeping, and begins dismantling the fixture, dropping paint flakes etc from the ceiling onto the bed... all while smoking.
Or a more direct comparison is the Chinese solution to pollution right before the Olympics: Turn off the factories for a few days...
Didn't think "Hey, maybe we should keep the factories from polluting so much ALL the time..."
Re:Great! (Score:3, Informative)
I've actually noticed landfills with methane burners on them. On a daily basis, they cover the new trash with dirt, so the smell doesn't kill people for miles. They also install vented pipes (pipes with holes) so as things decay, the methane goes up, and is burnt about 12 feet above the ground. I suspect that handles any methane that works it's way through the soil too.
It seems like a better plan than spraying people down with giant perfume cannons and telling them it's roses.
Re:Great! (Score:3, Informative)
I see... the smell of burnt sulfur is better at overpowering bad odors than perfumes are?
Contrary to popular belief, lighting amatch does not "burn away" all the bad odor chemicals. It just masks them.
If that's the goal, why not just smear some camphor on your upper lip when you drop a poo bomb? Works for pathologists doing autopsies...