Authorities impose stringent regulations on workshops whose activities damage the ecosystem, report Zheng Jinran in Beijing and Qiu Quanlin in Shantou, Guangdong province.

Guiyu, a township in Guangdong province, has developed a cleaner, healthier atmosphere since strict restrictions on the disposal of electronic waste - including televisions, air conditioners, washing machines, cellphones and computers - came into force in 2013.

Known as the e-waste capital of the world since the 1990s, Guiyu has grown into a major hub for its disposal. In its heyday, more than 100,000 people, about 50 percent of the permanent residents, made a living dismantling electronic equipment to harvest the expensive metals inside, according to Lin Qiurong, head of the township government.