Tons of smuggled medical trash thought to be from Japan - including used transfusion bags, needles, and other infectious waste - have been sealed up in Heshan in south China's Guangdong Province and are waiting for being disposed.

"We haven't decided whether to burn or bury them," said an official from the economic investigation office with the Heshan Industrial and Commercial Administration Thursday.

With Japanese characters printed on the transfusion bags, the medical trash is suspected of being imported from Japan.

Sources with the Heshan Industrial and Commercial Administration said the trash was transported from Shunde, another city in the province.

The scandal, which was detected last week, is still being investigated.

The processed transfusion cannulas and bags were expected to be sold to plastic recycle dealers, according to the workers.

No sales deal had been done by the time the inspection team detected the case.

(China Daily July 2, 2004)