The Beijing Evening News reports that 93 percent of waste in urban Beijing can now be made harmless though processing.

And on Wednesday, Beijing's first medical materials incinerator began operation, to process the city's mounting medical waste.

The paper says before 2008, more than 98 percent of the capital's waste will be transformed into harmless material, and 15 new waste processing facilities will be set up.

In addition, Beijing's garbage management system will be further improved.

With economic development and population growth, Beijing generates 2 percent more waste every year. But enhanced handling capacity has made the Chinese capital cleaner.

(CRI December 31, 2004)