Collectors treasure trash for cash

Recently, China has been pushing hard to cultivate the garbage-sorting habit. According to the government, trash-sorting systems will be built in 46 major cities by the end of next year, and all cities at prefecture level and above should have built such systems by 2025.

Moreover, stricter garbage-sorting rules have yielded more job opportunities, and turned trash into cash.

Qiao Junsuo, a garbage truck driver in Beijing's Chaoyang district, is happy with his decision to quit his previous job－he was a taxi driver for 10 years－and is content with his monthly salary of 4,300 yuan, along with social insurance payments and a housing allowance.

"I'm glad to see that more and more people are aware of the importance of waste sorting, and I hope the authorities pay more attention to recycling. The booming industry means that I can earn more to raise my three kids," the 40-year-old said.

Qiao－one of about 80 garbage truck drivers in Chaoyang－usually drives to an incinerator in the suburbs once or twice a day, carrying 15 tons of waste each time.

Beijing generates nearly 26,000 tons of household garbage every day, about 1.1 kg per person, and the amount is rising, Sun Xinjun, head of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Management, told a TV show recently.

"If garbage collection is not timely, there will be a huge impact on residents' daily lives," Sun said.

Shanghai's residents produced more than 9 million tons of household garbage last year, putting huge pressure on the environment and the city's sustainable development.

Many residents turn to online waste collectors for help. According to State broadcaster China Central Television, a waste collector in Shanghai can earn more than 10,000 yuan a month, depending on how much trash they collect.