Hainan takes lead recycling role

At an eco-awareness center in Hainan province, 83-year-old Zhao Yueying uses a sewing machine to turn secondhand garments into cloth bags, which are given to residents and tourists to replace plastic bags.

"The more cloth bags I make, the fewer plastic bags will be used. It's a contribution to society," said Zhao, who makes four or five bags a day.

Workers at the center in Baishamen, Haikou city, are trying to find an alternative use for discarded fruit peel, vegetable scraps, old clothes, plastic bottles and bags.

The country's campaign to establish an urban garbage-sorting system has given the center an educational function, where visitors learn how everyday trash can have a second life.

In the center's yard, there are dozens of sealed blue tanks containing rotting fruits and vegetables collected from local markets.

Jiang Fujun, Zhao's son and the director of the center, said after the food waste is mixed with water and brown sugar it turns into "eco-friendly enzymes" in about three months. The liquid can then be used to clean stains, grow flowers and deodorize toilets.

The second floor of the center is an exhibition hall showing items made from waste material. Decorative bags, aprons and sachets made from waste cloth are on display, along with a large stool constructed from hundreds of plastic bottles, each stuffed with colorful plastic bags.