Tibet builds more facilities for solid waste disposal

The Tibet autonomous region will take effective measures to dispose of solid waste, as 41 landfills were put into use to take care of the waste last year, local officials said on June 4.

In 2013, the region discharged 3.61 million metric tons of solid waste, and 244,000 tons of urban waste was produced in Lhasa and Xigaze. All of the waste has been disposed of, said Zhuang Hongxiang, deputy director of the Environmental Protection Department of Tibet.

Nine county seats put landfills in operation last year, including those in Nyemo, Zhanang, and Baingoin counties, Zhuang said.

"Seventeen landfills are under construction, and 19 more will be built soon," she said.

Not only the county seats are equipped with landfills in the region — remote towns and villages are outfitted with waste transfer stations as well.

Last year also saw 72 key towns starting to prepare to build waste transfer stations or makeshift processing facilities, according to the department.

The department also said that a regional hazardous-waste disposal center is under construction, with the main structure completed.

Meanwhile, a hazardous-waste disposal center in Shannan prefecture has already begun operations, while Nyingchi, Qamdo, and Ngari prefectures have completed such facilities. The disposal centers for Xigaze and Nagqu are under construction, it said.