Guangzhou residents protest incinerator, 2009
According to state reports, the city of Guangzhou released plans for a trash incinerator in the neighborhood of Panyu in 2006. The trash incinerator was planned by local officials as a means to replace two over-flowing landfills and meet the waste needs of the 2.5 million residents around Panyu.
When plans were further publicized in fall 2009, local residents insisted that it was the first time they were hearing of the project. Local polls indicate that over 95% of residents were opposed to the construction of the plant.