Amid the wave of waste classification and "waste-free city" initiatives, our city has executed a well-coordinated strategy. With a new governance approach of "plugging loopholes, unblocking channels, and preventing risks", we are pioneering a new chapter in the safety management of the recycling industry. Today, stepping into the Cixi Recycling Sorting Center, you are to find tidy facilities, standardized processes, and intelligent systems, completely changing the traditional image of "scrapyards".

"Plugging" for Safety: A Thorough Crackdown with No Blind Spots

"Before, the wires here were like spider webs, and piles of scrap towered over people. It was nerve-wracking to see," recalled Aunt Li, who runs a small shop in the Zonghan Subdistrict. Now, such scenes are history in Cixi. In 2025, a campaign to overhaul safety in the recycling industry was launched here.

Since March this year, recycling enterprises across the city have undergone "mine-sweeping" inspections. In the Zhouxiang Town, a scrap yard hidden in a residential area was shut down on the spot for illegal lodging and open-flame cooking. In the Longshan Town, a "red-yellow-green" warning system exposed 37 non-compliant enterprises. Residents especially applauded the crackdown on nomadic "street recycling teams", which have now been integrated into the formal system.

"Now I sleep much more soundly at night," said Mr. Wang from the Kandun Subdistrict, echoing the sentiments of many residents. Data shows that post-crackdown, fire incidents at recycling enterprises dropped by 62%, thanks to the resolution of 449 safety hazards.

How to Turn "Scrap Kings" into "Eco-Pioneers"? Cixi's Answer Shines Bright.

"Unblocking" a New Industrial Ecosystem: Turning Trash into Treasure.

At the sorting center, reporters met Mr. Zhang, a former mobile recycler. Now clad in a uniform branded "Ningbo Huanshen", he accepts orders via a mobile app. "I earn an extra 500 yuan a month now, and the company covers my social security," said Mr. Zhang, beaming with pride. Over 4,000 informal recyclers like him have been formalized citywide.

Entering the Zonghan Sorting Center, the Smart Equipment Astonishes:

Automatic sorting lines "devour" mixed waste and "spit out" segregated materials. Smart weighbridges auto-record data, transmitting it directly to the cloud. Even more surprising, previously neglected items like glass bottles and old clothes now find "good homes".

"We collaborate with global firms like France's Veolia to maximize the value of every scrap," said a Ningbo Huanshen executive. An 80-yuan-per-ton government subsidy further boosts the value of low-value recyclables. So far, 8,038 tons of low-value waste have been recycled, equivalent to avoiding the need for 1.5 large landfills.

"Preventing" for a Smart Governance Model: Tech-Empowered Preparedness.

At the Xinpu Town's emergency command center, a smart monitoring system issues real-time alerts on a large screen. Suddenly, a red alert pops up for a recycling station: a cigarette butt spotted in the storage area! Staff immediately intervene, resolving the hazard within five minutes.

Such "tech safeguards" are now standard in Cixi. Drone patrols, smart surveillance, IoT sensors... A 2-million-yuan smart management system grants safety oversight "clairvoyance" and "sharp ears". At the Kandun Sorting Center, reporters saw real-time tracking of recycling trucks, even drivers' yawns are caught by AI.

"Management is much easier now," said the Head of Zhouxiang's Safety Supervision Office. "The system auto-grades enterprises, red for high-risk, and green for low-risk, and we tailor measures accordingly." This tiered approach targets priorities while freeing up manpower.

From "Dirty, Chaotic, and Poor" to "Green, Prosperous, and Beautiful", Cixi's recycling industry undergoes a glamorous transformation. Data shows the new model has saved 42 million yuan in fiscal costs, created over 5,000 jobs, and boosted annual industry revenue to 123 million yuan.