Correspondence
Chinese landfill collapse:
urban waste and human
health
At least 69 people were killed and eight
others were missing after a landslide
in Shenzhen, north of Hong Kong, on
Dec 20, 2015.1 Unlike most landslides
triggered by high-intensity rainfall or
earthquakes, this disaster was manmade and triggered by the collapse
of a construction waste disposal site.
This landslide highlights the health
implications of both disaster resilience
and waste management during rapid
urbanisation in developing countries.
From 2000 to 2015, more than
3400 people were killed and over
2 million were otherwise affected by
landslides in China.2 The immediate
injuries included blunt trauma,
crushing, asphyxiation, and drowning.3
Victims are more likely to have mental
disorders, including post-traumatic
stress disorder, panic attacks, or
major depressive episodes. After the
landslide in Shenzhen, more than
300 medical workers and 50 mental
health professionals were actively
involved in the disaster relief and
recovery work, but the long-term
mortality, morbidity, and mental
health implications are still unknown.
This disaster was caused by the
collapse of a large pile of construction
and demolition waste. Soil and
aggregates are usually not directly
toxic, but asbestos, polychlorinated
biphenyls, brominated flame
retardants, and heavy metals are
often produced and released during
construction and demolition work,
especially in improperly managed
brownfield sites. Dust and particulate
matter, such as PM2·5, are generated
by waste transportation and dumping.
Toxic leachates, particularly heavy
metals, and methane from landfills are
major challenges for the environment
and for human health.
In addition to formal waste collection
and recycling systems, 3·3–5·6 million
people are involved in informal waste
www.thelancet.com/lancetgh Vol 4 July 2016
collection and are responsible for
recycling 17–38% of urban solid waste
in China.4 Unfortunately, the informal
sector is usually unaware or has little
consideration of occupational health
and safety. Several classes of disease
have been identified as especially
prevalent among waste pickers—eg,
diarrhoea, malaria, cholera, hepatitis
B, and pneumonia.5 A range of cancers
are occupational hazards for many
informal collectors.
To avoid similar landslides, the
fundamental solution is to reduce
waste volume. Additionally,
monitoring, reusing, recycling, and
recovering waste should be more
widely conducted. Globally, about
15 million people are involved in
informal waste recycling.6 To alleviate
the hazards faced by those involved
in this sector, cooperatives and
associations of informal recyclers
have been created in Latin America.6
In China, new initiatives are needed to
integrate the informal waste collectors
into waste management systems,
improve waste recycling rates, and
tackle pressing health issues.
4
5
6
Linzner R, Salhofer S. Municipal solid waste
recycling and the significance of informal
sector in urban China. Waste Manag Res 2014;
32: 896–907.
Ezeah C, Fazakerley JA, Roberts CL. Emerging
trends in informal sector recycling in
developing and transition countries.
Waste Manag 2013; 33: 2509–19.
Binion E, Gutberlet J. The effects of handling
solid waste on the wellbeing of informal and
organized recyclers: a review of the literature.
Int J Occup Environ Health 2012; 18: 43–52.
We declare no competing interests. The authors
alone are responsible for the views expressed in this
article and they do not necessarily represent the
views, decisions, or policies of the institutions with
which they are affiliated. This work was supported
by SINOGRAIN and SIS Project (355002) projects.
Copyright © Yang et al. Open Access article
distributed under the terms of CC BY-NC-ND.
*Hong Yang, Xianjin Huang,
Julian R Thompson, Roger J Flower
hongyanghy@gmail.com
Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research
(NIBIO) and CEES, Department of Biosciences,
University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway (HY);
School of Geographic & Oceanographic Science,
Xianlin Campus, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
(XH); and UCL Department of Geography, University
College London, London, UK (JRT, RJF)
1
2
3
China Government. 69 people found dead in
Shenzhen landslide. 2016. http://www.gov.cn/
xinwen/2016-01/13/content_5032448.htm
(accessed Jan 20, 2016).
EM-DAT. The international disaster database.
http://www.emdat.be/ (accessed Feb 10, 2016).
Kennedy IT, Petley DN, Williams R, Murray V.
A systematic review of the health impacts of
mass Earth movements (landslides). PLoS Curr
2015; published online April 30. http://dx.doi.
org/10.1371/currents.dis.1d49e84c8bbe678b
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