China Busy Sweeping Tens Of Thousands Of Garbage Pickers Out Of Town During Olympics - Reuters

[hatrack]

EDIT

Most of the city's more than 170,000 rubbish collectors will have left before the Aug. 8 opening ceremony -- a necessary measure to guarantee the health and safety of Games visitors, according to Wang Weiping, a Beijing government advisor.

Wang, one of Beijing's foremost experts on the city's recycling industry, submitted a report recommending officials "convince" the collectors to return to their home provinces for the duration of the Olympics.

The workers process up to a third of Beijing's trash and have a "positive effect" on society, but most have criminal records, leave second-hand environmental pollution, and pose a health threat, Wang said. "According to our studies, more than 70 percent have contracted infectious diseases, such as dysentery, hepatitis and typhoid, and can easily infect others in the city," Wang said.

Ed. - Imagine that - among people who work in trash dumps and garbage bins all day!

"I hope these people can temporarily sacrifice their interests and go home and then come back after the Olympics ... Their losses won't be that great."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/49276/story.htm