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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

China's award-winning waste plant doubles as park and educational hub

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • A waste incineration plant in Shenzhen, China, has been recognized for its architectural design, transforming a typically industrial facility into a public space.
  • The facility, officially named an "Energy Ecological Park," processes over 5,100 tons of waste daily and generates electricity, while also featuring amenities like a library and cafe.
  • It meets stringent environmental standards, emitting significantly less pollutants than national and EU benchmarks, aiming to improve public acceptance of such facilities.

Nestled amidst the mountains of Shenzhen's Longgang District, a colossal circular steel structure rises, its design reminiscent of a football stadium. This is not a sports arena, but a waste incineration plant, a facility that has garnered international architectural acclaim.

Recognized by Yale University in 2023 as one of the world's 55 most representative architectural works, the "Energy Ecological Park" is a testament to China's evolving approach to waste management. Spread across 542,000 square meters, it handles over 5,100 tons of daily household waste, enough to serve the 4 million residents of the district and more. The plant operates six incineration lines, each capable of processing 850 tons per day, converting waste into electricity and heat for nearby facilities.

We produce electricity through waste, but it is also a complex facility visited for children's education, experiences, and tourism.

— facility officialExplaining the multi-functional purpose of the Energy Ecological Park.

Beyond its industrial function, the park is designed as a public attraction. Artificial ponds and green spaces create a park-like atmosphere, while a fifth-floor library and cafe, along with a seventh-floor rooftop walkway, invite public access. This transformation from a mere waste disposal site into a complex space for environmental education, recreation, and tourism is why it bears the name "Energy Ecological Park."

China's shift from landfilling to incineration, initiated in the 2010s to combat land scarcity and pollution, has led to the construction of large-scale facilities in major cities, including four in Shenzhen. The Longgang facility stands out as the largest single-site incinerator. To address common concerns about odor, smoke, and pollution, the plant employs a sophisticated seven-stage purification and filtration system. Its average daily emissions of particulate matter (8 mg/m³) and carbon dioxide (30 mg/m³) are well below Chinese and European Union standards, a strategy aimed at enhancing public acceptance, as explained by Safety Director Xiao Yuanbing: "Because it's a waste incineration plant, there's a lot of public opposition, so we wanted to show that we emit less by strengthening the standards."

Because it's a waste incineration plant, there's a lot of public opposition, so we wanted to show that we emit less by strengthening the standards.

— Xiao YuanbingDescribing the strategy to improve public acceptance by exceeding environmental regulations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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