Shenzhen's Yulong Landfill remediation project — the largest full-scale excavation and waste-relocation initiative of its kind in China — is advancing rapidly. The site holds 2.55 million cubic meters of aged waste, equivalent to the volume of 1,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Backed by a 2.17-billion-yuan environmental restoration plan, the former landfill is set to be transformed into an integrated innovation hub focused on artificial intelligence, life and health, and the digital economy.

Currently, crews excavate about 6,000 cubic meters of waste each day, sort 5,000 tonnes of materials on site, and manage 500 to 600 truck trips daily as part of the intensive cleanup process.

The project will ultimately treat more than 4.1 million tonnes of aged waste, releasing approximately 30 hectares of land for industrial use. The site is slated for over 1 million square meters of future development and is expected to attract more than 15 billion yuan in fixed-asset investment. Luohu district plans to introduce R&D facilities, pilot testing platforms and digital service industries, aiming to build a new hub for the digital economy and an ecological valley where urban development and nature coexist.

In the early morning, greenery surrounds Luohu's Yinhubanshan residential community. As resident Cui stretched during her morning exercise, she glanced toward the nearby construction site. "They say it will be finished by the end of 2026. Just thinking about that gives me extra motivation during my morning workouts," she said.

Cui lives just over 600 meters from the landfill. "Even though we didn't usually notice a smell, knowing a landfill was right next door never felt completely reassuring," she said. For years, residents had hoped scientific remediation would bring real environmental improvement. "Now, we're finally seeing it happen," she added.