I never knew about this. When you say it's not safe, exactly what do you mean?

I wonder to what degree many Westerners are aware of how much they are involved in, contributing to, or even directly responsible for the environmental and human tragedies that occur in China. How blurred are the lines between voluntarily doing something to doing something because it's what you have to do for something else. It takes two tango. You can't help but disrespect the Chinese for doing this to themselves, but you can't help despise the world for being unfair either.

Thanks for the daily demoralizer, Alex. Now go resell more puppies to North Korea or something.

Congratulations Alex! Looking forward to seeing more nice photos from you! by the way, there might be some technical problems on the web, i.e. I clicked the Twitter sign, but it didn't link me to any where.

Turns out that it's my laptop's problem. got ur twitter page by clicking the little bird sign. Cool website indeed! Congratulations again.

Christopher - What I mean is that the e-waste business owners in Guiyu do not like outsiders snooping around their dirty deeds - be they foreigners or Chinese. Reporters and NGO types are definitely not welcome.

I heard from a journalism student at the nearby Shantou University that only a few months ago a Chinese photographer for a Chinese newspaper got beaten up there.

Migrant workers in the town who hail mostly from Sichuan Province are happy to be photographed, but as soon locals see an outsider with a camera it is not unknown for them to call the goon squad to chase that person out of town. The locals know they are doing bad stuff. Obviously the police are in on it too.

I was there for two days in total. On the second day there was no open burning going on. I asked why and I found out that the locals had got wind that a delegation from the Central Government in Beijing were coming down to check out the situation, but had been tipped off by someone in either the Guangdong Provincial Government and/or someone at county level.

So it's a kind of opaque corrupt and gangstery situation. Does that answer your question?

Alex

I try not to draw racial distinctions. We are all human. Most of us on this small planet of ours are short-sighted and stupid. So I blame capitalism and the the system it engenders.

And I won't be drawn into that divisive China vs the West narrative (again!)

Your compliments on my new website are most appreciated.

Why blame the ambiguous entity called "capitalism"? Why not blame those who are responsible, who, I might add, would most definitely NOT categorize themselves as capitalists?

It's not "capitalism" - this is a cop-out and offers a pass for those INDIVIDUALS who are responsible. Hold them accountable - if you can offer me a reason why capitalism is actually, factually to blame, so be it. I have yet to hear such an argument.

These are not mutually exclusive.

The reason capitalism is to blame is because it is exactly the ideology that makes it profitable for all the unwanted broken toxic electronic trash to be exported legally or illegally from the West. It is capitalism that also promotes the use of cheap labour from far-flung provinces. Migrant workers get sick and die, and no one cares as there's plenty more where they came from. Greed is at the source of the problem. And greed is the life blood of capitalism.

and i thought the cloudy photos were because of all the toxic bonfires.

i think you can still "safely" splash around any of the LCSD managed beaches as long as you wear a full body dry suit line with neoprene.

do not take the puppies with you.;-)

and i thought the cloudy photos were caused by the toxic bonfires.

i think swimming in any of the LCSD managed beaches is still safe as long as you wear a full body dry suit lined with neoprene & an underwater helmet (dont want to risk having disfiguring dermatitis). do not bring the puppies.

Just for your information CBS' 60 minutes had run a piece on Guiyu last Oct. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4586887n
It's interesting that we talked about 60 minutes' piece in CBS office just few days before I saw your entry, Check that out.

We just talked about the piece in CBS office fews days before I saw your entry. Check it out http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4586887n

I've seen it. It's very good. It features Jim Puckett from the Basel Action Network who I linked to in the bottom of my post.

And again here: http://www.ban.org/

Thanks Matt, for providing the link for others to see.

Alex

So will the regulations coming into effect in 2011 cleanup the place?

This seems like an extremely short sighted act by the residents of Guiyu probably born out of poverty and ignorance.

Banning imports in 2002 doesnt help. Unfortunately action on the ground, like banning the activities by these home-based recyclers were not taken.

Wonder how many generations needed to clean up the environment again. Biological life will die off, but the environment will heal if the activities stop.

Waiting for an enterprenuer to come to Guiyu and take over all these recycling activities from these ignorant or desperate people.

you should get out of your car to shoot better photos.

...but I didn't fancy getting beaten up for a jpeg. I know where the line is, and when it is safe to cross it or not. Discretion being the better part of valor, and all that.

Alex

Thanks, for the good articles ...I am very intiresting..

Thanks, for the good articles ...I am very intiresting..

I love the pictures you provide for us to see. I can see you have a good eye for photography, you also explain what the picture is. People don't take pride into anything anymore. Good to see their are some people that still take passion into their work.

Thank you very much for the excellent and useful subject.

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Hey,Alex
I happen to, well, enter you homepage. As a Chinese, I am ashamed and shocked of my ignorance of this serious situation, but happy to find that there are many who are concerned about this matter as well. Unfortunately, outside of Guiyu, in other parts of China, we know little about it. I've just visited the official website of Guiyu, and sadly found little about environmental problems. However I just want to say thanks to you all and show my concern as well.
(I'm not so good at English. I wish I had not make big mistakes. lol)

Celia

Hey,Alex
I happen to, well, enter you homepage. As a Chinese, I am ashamed and shocked of my ignorance of this serious situation, but happy to find that there are many who are concerned about this matter as well. Unfortunately, outside of Guiyu, in other parts of China, we know little about it. I've just visited the official website of Guiyu, and sadly found little about environmental problems. However I just want to say thanks to you all and show my concern as well.
(I'm not so good at English. I wish I had not make big mistakes. lol)

Celia

thanks admin..

good job. spread the word. go after the manufacturers who do not take back their products

Thanks for the photos and information regarding e-waste. I've been looking for this, couple of hours ago. I'm doing some research about this and this is useful for me to further my research. Thanks!

From
Carrick http://mmapound.forpound.com

great post here!

great post here! keep it up

great post i appreciate it

The former Soviet Union was notorious for its toxic waste and slave labor conditions, so these problems are not limited to capitalist countries. Both systems lend themselves to corruption because they fail to distinguish between material and spiritual wealth.

Thanks for the photos and information regarding e-waste. I've been looking for this, couple of hours ago. I'm doing some research about this and this is useful for me to further my research. Thanks!

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You have a great nack for photography, those are some great pictures! Thanks for sharing them with me.

Scott from http://skylightblindshq.com

I find it quite disturbing that this continues on around the world and people turn a blind eye. Well done for showing people what is really going on, great photos.

Very thought provoking photography, thank you for taking time to publish it.

I love you work, keep it up!

Mikey
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beautiful pictures. All talk. This is why I love photography. People can understand a lot just by looking.

Thank you, every country must have a dark side..

I completely agree with you Thomas. Someone has to do all these recycling activities and free these people from all the wastes.

Regards
---------
Goliat

These photos are like my father's business in recycling process my father is buying and selling plastic, and metal then will be processed. Visit my blog Tukang Kritik | Blog Pemula , Jendelaberita.com and Tukang Kritik

I first came across this topic in my Chinese translation class when our teacher presented the 60 minutes English documentary for us to interpret. My biggest surprise was after talking to my classmates from the Mainland was， none of them seemed to be too concerned. Perhaps its a face thing. So that left me thinking on my own. What the hell can we do? Im from Canada/NZ.
What can we do? Stop the guys in gui yu? thats one thing, buts its temporary and too short sighted. What can we do? Make westerners aware- I tried to start immediately by making my friend give me her old laptop rather than throwing it out- and id find some use for it. But its not enough. It is true that if everyone took care of their own stuff it would have a large impact. But noones going to.
We live in a world where we have to have at least a cell phone for business purposes and while ive only ever owned two cell phones in ten years, im facing to have to replace one thats basically stuffed. Our lives are so busy that we move faster than we can think. Some of us barely have time to clean up after ourselves. so what can we do? Why is our technology constantly updated so that we cant even use our laptop after 5 years cos its considered old? Where do we start? Do we stop the technology progress and consumer desire？ Yes. But how? What about paper waste?
If those guys in gui yu have nothing to breakdown, then that would supposedly end the problem. Although, bad people are always going to find something that will make them big bucks, the workers few mulla and harm everything around them.
What we are looking at is an even bigger problem. Love. Its sounds hippie, but it is a problem. Love your neighbor as yourself.Treat others how you would want to be treated. Its a basic fundamental that Ive noticed is extremely lacking in China, US, Canada, NZ, the world, and in myself.
That being said, fighting that would be like fighting a war on terrorism. It cant succeed. Mortals cant battle the devil. But operations like the ones in guiyu would be easier to stop if we attacked it from the technological development end. But i dont know where or how to start.
Alex- do you care? Or do you just like posting things that are bad about places? If you have any ideas, email me.
谢谢

I think your photos is clearly great, it has send a powerful massage to make me see the other side of the world's 'e-waste' processing industry.

I first came across this topic in my Chinese translation class when our teacher presented the 60 minutes English documentary for us to interpret. My biggest surprise was after talking to my classmates from the Mainland was， none of them seemed to be too concerned. Perhaps its a face thing. So that left me thinking on my own. What the hell can we do? Im from Canada/NZ.
dating

Being a firefighter, I like the burning electronic equipment. Very cool.

And, almost nothing would surprise me about what is going on there.

I would've thought that the Chinese prefecture governors would be pushing for more ecologically safe industry.

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.

Congratulations Alex! Looking forward to seeing more nice photos from you! by the way, there might be some technical problems on the web, i.e. I clicked the Twitter sign, but it didn't link me to any where.