China Waste Management

My mother’s comment on my previous blog post brought up quite an interesting topic I neglected to mention when talking about my first observations about China; the TOILETS! Since Beijing is still a developing country, for the most part, the sewage system here is not as advanced as we are used to in the United States. When wandering around China you will most likely run into one of three different types of toilets: Western, squat, and Hutong. (By the way, those were placed in that order for a reason, you will see why).
The first is what we are all used to; the Western toilet. This is only seen in hotels, international apartments, schools – basically any place where there will be a large foreign influence for an extended period of time. This is by far the cleanest and least awkward of the three. Locals consider these ‘high class.’
The squat toilet is essentially what is sounds like; a porcelain hole in the floor where a Western toilet should be. Thankfully these are placed in separate stalls so no one can see you squatting over a hole with your pants down at your ankles. These are the most common toilets in the Beijing area as well as other large cities. Operating these things for the first time was extremely difficult for me. I didn’t know how far down to squat or if I would get any on my pants (sorry for the image). After a while you get the hang of it, but what I’ll never get used to if the fact that you are NOT supposed to throw your used toilet paper down the drain. Again, sewage in Beijing is weak and cannot handle it. Instead there is a waste basket next to the toilet where you throw your paper into…yes, a basket full of used toilet paper.
The last type of toilet you’ll find here in China is the Hutong, and I hope I never see one of these. The hutong is found in a wooden structure usually out in public, rural areas. A line of partially tilted boxes are against the wall where you set your rear end into and begin using. Absolutely NO privacy. Oh, and there is no sewage system so everything is collected in a hole under the building. I haven’t experienced this but I’ve been told on a hot summer day in Beijing the fermenting feces can be smelled even from the outside. Ironically enough, once a week a ‘hygiene truck’, as it’s so wonderfully named, comes to suck up all the waste.
I’m happy to say my apartment is fully service with a Western toilet and a decent sewage system. Welcome to Beijing!