Chongqing - Heavy rains and flood surges wash debris into the Yangtze River, China’s longest waterway, threatening navigation. Digital technology now enables faster, more precise cleanup, said Wu Fuchun, Director of Fengjie County’s Urban Environmental Hygiene Management Office.
On August 13, the 2025 Vibrant China Research Tour delegation visited the Fengjie section of the Yangtze River in Chongqing to see how a digital platform supports debris removal along this vital waterway.
On August 13, a mechanical vessel worked to clear floating debris from the Fengjie section of the Yangtze River in Chongqing. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Launched in 2013, the platform boosts efficiency by linking unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), surveillance cameras, and other monitoring tools to detect floating debris in real time and quickly dispatch cleanup teams.
The project manager demonstrated how the system works: when drones or cameras spot debris on the river’s surface, the system automatically identifies it and relays the information to the platform, which then promptly deploys the right personnel for cleanup.
Wu said heavy rains or flood surges wash tree trunks, branches, straw, and small plastic and foam waste from the mountains into the river, often in large volumes. Such inflows can quickly accumulate, obstructing channels and posing hazards to vessels if not promptly cleared.
Fengjie’s location at the entrance to the Three Gorges, where the river narrows, makes it prone to backflows that carry debris into tributaries, underscoring the need for prompt cleanup.
Before the digital platform was introduced, debris removal depended mainly on public reports and routine patrols, a slower and less precise process that often delayed response, Wu said.
The project manager of the digital platform introduced the functions of the platform. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Wu explained that mechanical vessels mainly clear debris from the central waterway, while manual and semi-mechanical methods are used along shorelines, drop zones, and other areas inaccessible to boats.
After debris is collected, it undergoes sorting for resource recovery. Useful materials like wood are repurposed for fuel production, while non-recyclable waste is transported to incineration plants to generate electricity.
Now, during the peak flood season, cleanup efforts are intensified, with a team of 30 workers deploying each day at 5 a.m. to collect debris, Wu said. The operation follows a detailed plan, and after the boats are filled with waste, they return for further processing. On average, the team removes over 220 tons of debris daily.
At Kuimen, the entrance to the first gorge of the Three Gorges, the scenery is magnificent, and the waterway remains relatively clear. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Thanks to these efforts, Fengjie successfully removed over 21,560 tons of floating waste and 373.3 tons of shoreline garbage in 2024 alone.