US trash causes a stink

Peking (Reuter) - Chinese environmental officials are raising a stink over 640 tons of noxious rubbish they say was illegally imported from the United States, the China Environmental Daily said yesterday.

Officials from the state environmental protection bureau inspecting the Zhiqiang fibre factory in Peking found bundles of rubbish, including used toilet paper, used syringes and rotting matter the company had bought from a US firm, believing it to be recyclable waste paper.

"All the bundles were found to have large amounts of poisonous bacteria and live insects, and were giving off an intensely noxious odour," the newspaper said.

Officials were calling for the US to help ship the rubbish back to its overseas origins.