Xining, April 20 (Xinhua) -- In response to the problem of garbage pollution along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, the government and non-governmental environmental organizations have begun to explore ways to collect and transport garbage along the highway, and plan to build eight "green stations" along the highway this year, focusing on garbage recycling.

According to reports, in 2013, the Administration of Hoh Xili Conservation Area and the Green River Environmental Protection Promotion Association, a non-governmental environmental protection organization, carried out a garbage survey along the Qinghai-Tibet highway. Nearly 160,000 pieces of garbage were found on both sides of the 450km Qinghai-Tibet highway from Kunlun Pass to Tanggula Pass, most of which were non-degradable plastic packaging. Mostly discarded by drivers and tourists at random.

"This waste not only destroys the grassland landscape, but also pollutes the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yangtze River water source. It directly harms China's and wildlife. The indigestible plastic products often cause illness and death in cattle and sheep." "Said Yang Xin, president of the Green River Environmental Protection Promotion Association.

It is learned that this year, Golmud city in Qinghai province, together with the Green River Environmental Protection Promotion Association, will build eight public welfare stations named "Qinghai-Tibet Green Station" on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway from Golmud to Tanggulashan town, which is about 420 kilometers long. The stations focus on garbage recycling, provide short breaks for long-distance bus drivers and self-drive tourists, and pay attention to ecological resources and environmental protection publicity.

According to Yang Xin, Qinghai-Tibet Green Station will rely on the landscape characteristics of Qingzang Line and public welfare services such as free toilets, free hot water, free Internet and free charging to attract long-distance freight drivers and self-driving tourists to stop for a short rest, and encourage drivers and tourists to put their garbage into garbage sorting and recycling bins. Drivers and tourists can exchange for a variety of promotional souvenirs through this. Workers and volunteers will sort, compress and pack the garbage, and take advantage of the cheap transportation of empty vehicles on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway to transport the recyclable garbage to Golmud for centralized disposal.

"This method of" decentralized collection, long-distance transportation and centralized disposal "is some of the explorations for garbage recycling on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. If successful, it can be extended to other trunk and branch lines on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." The relevant person in charge of Golmud Urban Management Bureau said.

It is understood that the main infrastructure construction funds and basic operating costs of Qinghai-Tibet Green Station will be borne by the government, and the Green River Environmental Protection Promotion Association will mobilize social public welfare funds to participate. "According to the preliminary budget, 3.6 million yuan of government funds will be invested in infrastructure, and 2 million yuan of social funds will be invested. The annual operating cost of the eight green stations will be budgeted at 910,000 yuan, of which 400,000 yuan will be borne by the government and 510,000 yuan will be raised by the society." Yang Xin said.

The Qinghai-Tibet Highway is one of the important passageways into Tibet. It begins in Xining, Qinghai Province, traversing nearly 2,000 kilometers over mountains and rivers and passes through Golmud, Qinghai Province to Lhasa, Tibet. Hundreds of kilometers of it run between Hoh Xili National Nature Reserve and Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve.

Plastic Industry Video