The town of Guiyu in southern China is now at the heart of the nation’s green economy. In less than a decade, it has undergone a sweeping transformation from a cluster of unregulated, family-run e-waste workshops into a modern, automated recycling powerhouse contributing to China’s circular economy and net-zero ambitions.
Guiyu had long been infamous for its dangerous e-waste recycling practices. By the early 2000s, thousands of informal workshops processed mountains of discarded electronics using rudimentary tools, releasing clouds of toxic smoke and polluting soil and waterways. Workers, often unprotected and exposed to hazardous materials, dismantled everything from old computers to broken televisions to recover reusable metals and components.Concerned by the rising health risks and environmental costs, the local administration intervened. In 2015, authorities launched the Guiyu Circular Economy Industrial Park—a state-supported initiative designed to regulate the processing of electronic waste. The move marked a turning point in the region’s economic and environmental future.
Today, the industrial park houses dozens of businesses under a tightly regulated system. Companies operate with advanced air filtration, wastewater treatment and real-time waste tracking systems. E-waste is now classified and dismantled by type using fully automated machines that ensure higher recovery rates of valuable materials such as copper, gold, aluminium and rare earth elements. Hazardous waste is treated safely, drastically reducing pollution.The transformation of Guiyu is not just an environmental success story but a blueprint for similar urban centres grappling with the surge of digital consumption and disposal. China generates over 10 million tonnes of e-waste annually, and towns like Guiyu are now pivotal to the country’s efforts to meet its carbon neutrality goals by 2060.
Furthermore, the model has helped create safer, more stable jobs. Workers now operate in healthier environments with access to proper safety gear and training. The shift also reflects a broader national strategy that links environmental protection with sustainable economic development—a trend increasingly visible in urban policy decisions across Asia.Guiyu’s story is a compelling example of how local intervention, regulatory reform, and technological innovation can together address systemic environmental degradation. As countries across the globe look to curb electronic waste and transition to low-carbon futures, Guiyu stands as an unlikely yet powerful reminder that even the most polluted places can be reborn.
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Guiyu Turns Green with E Waste Innovation
