The Chinese Town Where Old Christmas Lights Go

retroworks writes "Shanghai based reporter Adam Minter visits where recycled Christmas Tree lighting goes in China. Visiting Shijao, the town known as the Mecca for Christmas tree light recycling, he finds good news. The recycling practices in China have really cleaned up. Plastic casings, which were once burned, are now recycled into shoe soles in a wet process. Minter concludes that even if you try to recycle your wire in the U.S., the special equipment and processes for Christmas light recycling have been perfected in China 'to the benefit of the environment, and pocketbooks, in both countries.'"

Comments

I'm sure they knew of him before he knew of them.

[sethstorm]

If anything, the Chinese (and like-minded Third World countries) make a point to detect inspections early enough to clean up things. Whether it'd be forwarding the information that an inspector has come in the country to the factory (and thus clean out evidence) or just showing the good parts of an operation like this, it only shows a good face - and no real improvement. When a business is able to control a government in such a manner, it won't matter how much of a surprise you attempt.

(Awaiting modbombing and overwhelming "you don't understand"'s from the 50 Cent Party)