Lu Lake Park, located in the south of Guangzhou’s Baiyun Mountain Scenic Spot, is one of biggest artificial lakes in Guangzhou. However, readers of Nanfang Daily have revealed that sanitation companies have been using the lake as a dumping ground for feces, pouring the untreated human and animal waste directly into the lake.

Courtesy of Nanfang Daily

Citizens who enjoy relaxing at the scenic spot have complained. Mr. Zhang, a citizen who enjoys going for a walk around the lake, discovered someone attempting to dump manure into the spot discreetly. Residents of the surrounding area are also angry, saying that the stink makes their lives unpleasent every day, especially in the summer. The dumping has also been disastrous for aquatic life, with many dead fish floating to the surface.

It is said that Guangzhou generates 3,000 tons of feces everyday but the city only has the capacity to deal with 100 tons. Illegally disposing of feces has become common practice in the city’s sanitation industry, with tons even ending up in the Pearl River. An insider confessed, “We have to dump it somewhere.” The insider refused to tell reporters where his company was disposing of the waste, saying “I could get into trouble if I reveal that.” Guangzhou has more than ten thousand sanitation companies, but less than 2% have a business license. The illegal companies usually pour feces into lakes or rivers in the middle of the night.