Waste Station Project Halted Following Massive Public Backlash in China

In a rare victory for public resistance in China, mass protests by residents in Hefei city successfully forced the local government to scrap plans for a nearby waste transfer station.

Mary Man

Published: 6/29/2026, 12:54:27 PM EDT

Waste Station Project Halted Following Massive Public Backlash in China — Police in Beijing on June 26, 2026. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

On June 27, a large-scale public protest erupted in Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, over government plans to build a waste transfer station in a residential area.

Under immense public pressure, authorities were forced to announce the cancellation of the project.

In recent years, China has witnessed multiple mass protests triggered by the selection of not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) facilities near residential areas.

However, this case marks a rare successful resistance by the public against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The issue began when the Hefei Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning announced a proposal to build a waste transfer station covering approximately 4.2 hectares northwest of the intersection of North Second Ring Road and Banqiao River in the Luyang District.

According to an "Emergency Notice" circulating among residents, there are 3 primary schools and nearly 20 residential communities within a one-kilometer radius of the selected site, affecting about 4,000 students and staff, and nearly 100,000 residents.

The project was in its public notice period, which was set to expire on July 2, 2026.

Residents argued that the project would severely damage their living environment and health, and pointed out that the government had failed to properly consult the community.

Street Confrontation

On the evening of June 27, hundreds of residents took to the streets in anger to voice their strong dissatisfaction, resulting in a traffic standstill.

The authorities deployed a large number of police officers to maintain stability, leading to a tense standoff and physical altercations between the crowd and the police. Videos of the confrontation quickly went viral online.

According to various video clips circulating on the internet, as the number of protesters grew, hundreds of citizens blocked the road and chanted slogans, facing off in the middle of the street against a human wall of police and plainclothes officers.

The protest paralyzed traffic on the North Second Ring Road for at least two hours, and residents later resorted to a sit-in protest directly on the asphalt.

Initially, police attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to brief physical clashes. Some individuals were shoved to the ground, prompting people in the crowd to shout, "The police are beating people! The police are beating people!"

However, because the number of protesters was overwhelming, the police on the scene refrained from taking more aggressive action due to the sheer pressure.

A Rare Government Climbdown

Fearing that the situation might escalate, local officials ultimately capitulated to the public. In a rare late-night move, Yang Binghong, the head of Luyang District, rushed to the scene and personally announced to the crowd: "The construction plan is canceled," scrapping the waste transfer station project.

Some residents pressed further, asking, "When will the official [formal government directive] be issued?"

NTD has been unable to independently verify the footage.

The Hefei protest is the latest in a series of public demonstrations across China linked to NIMBY projects, where residents oppose the construction of facilities perceived as hazardous or undesirable near residential areas.

In March, protests broke out in Xinyi City, Maoming, Guangdong Province. Local villagers discovered that land previously requisitioned by the government under the guise of road construction was actually intended for a funeral parlor and crematorium. Clashes with police left multiple people injured.

Against this backdrop, the Hefei protest, with the local government's dramatic turnaround, is being hailed by outside observers as a "rare victory for the people in recent years."

The incident initially triggered a wave of discussion on Chinese social media platforms, where many users expressed support for the protesters. Comments included:

"They have awakened."

"Thank you to these citizens who fought for everyone."

"The mass line of the people—justice triumphs over all evil forces."

"Wow, the people of Hefei are mighty! With so many people standing up, I respect you as true, hot-blooded souls."

"People don't take to the streets unless they are pushed to the brink."

"The Communist Party's rule will crack under repeated impacts from the people."

"A single spark can start a prairie fire; other places will follow soon!"

"Chinese citizens need to wake up. All rights for ordinary people must be won through struggle. Never be obedient subjects to the CCP, which only leaves you to fend for yourselves. Keep fighting for a democratically elected president in China!"

Despite the local government giving in on the spot and resolving the incident quickly, all related protest videos, keywords, and discussions have been completely blocked and scrubbed by authorities on domestic Chinese internet platforms (such as Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin).

Netizens can now only learn about the details through overseas social media platforms like X.