Illegal dumping prompts public backlash and calls for tougher regulations

Piles of randomly dumped, malodorous sewage sludge have been discovered in a number of large cities, posing a pollution threat. The growing problem has attracted attention from the public and local governments, and prompted calls for tougher laws to clamp down on offenders.

"When I walk by (the sludge), I have to hold my breath because of the disgusting smell," said Liu Jun, 26, whose parents live in Zhaocun village in the Daxing district in Beijing, where a pile of sludge has been dumped in the dried-out bed of the Yongding River. She said residents first noticed the stench in July.

"My parents are greatly concerned about whether the sludge will contaminate the soil, because it's close to farmland," she added.