Self-reflection of Sanitation Industry Case Study

Background

Inner Mongolia LangJie Qingyuan Sanitation and Cleaning Service Co., Ltd. was established

on January 13, 2021. I am the manager of this company. The company has a registered capital

of 50 million yuan and is located on Guangming West Street in the Huimin District of

Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Our company stands out as the only large-scale sanitation service

provider in Hohhot with a comprehensive range of services. Our business scope includes road

sweeping, sanitation services, waste sorting, waste transportation, environmental

management, property services, waste sorting equipment, public restroom management and

maintenance, sanitation facility upkeep, septic tank cleaning, municipal public facility

services, and ecological environment management planning and consulting.

Our company holds various nationally recognized qualifications and system certifications.

We ensure all employees are certified, and their credentials can be verified online. This

commitment to professionalism and transparency sets us apart in the industry. We strive to

deliver high-quality services across all our projects, meeting the diverse needs of our clients

and contributing to a cleaner, healthier environment in Hohhot. As we continue to grow, we

remain dedicated to expanding our service offerings and enhancing our operational

capabilities.

The company has become an enterprise that has multiple sanitation cleaning projects and

cleaning services in Inner Mongolia. The company has established a human resources

department, an operation department, a property management department, and a public toilet

maintenance department to provide comprehensive services to enterprises and institutions

from all walks of life.

At the same time, as an experienced and technically standardized sanitation service company,
our company has more than 200 professional and capable managers and complete sanitation

equipment. At present, it has more than 80 cleaning vehicles, washing and sweeping vehicles,

garbage removal vehicles, other tool vehicles such as sewage suction vehicles, sewage

purification vehicles, underground pipeline dredging vehicles, sanitation vehicles, etc., in

addition to pipeline dredging machines, high-pressure cleaning machines, carpet cleaning

machines, stone cleaning machines, etc. Adhering to the business philosophy of seeking a

market with service quality, seeking development with excellent equipment, and seeking

survival with scientific management, it has created impressive results since its establishment.

The company has developed rapidly, has a good social reputation, and has been well-received

by the industry authorities in Hohhot.

As a high-quality management and support team, in the process of providing management

services, we adhere to the management concepts of "honesty and simplicity to win trust,"

"diligence and wisdom to be trusted," "people-oriented," and "standardized management." We

will vigorously expand new areas and the scope of services to achieve service standards that

satisfy citizens and aspire to become a first-class service company in this industry. During the

epidemic, our company also fully responded to the government's call and provided sanitation

services for various streets and enterprises. Let every customer be satisfied.

Main business

The main businesses in the company are road cleaning, sanitation services, garbage

classification, environmental governance, property services, public toilet management,

facility maintenance, and ecological environment. Our company currently provides high-

quality sanitation and property services to most government agencies, departments, state-

owned enterprises, and industry suppliers. With the joint efforts of management personnel,

sanitation, and cleaning staff, we have achieved a zero-complaint rate and a 93% customer
satisfaction rate (data source Google Forms).

Self-reflection

The sanitation industry plays a critical role in public health, environmental sustainability, and

urban development. This case study examines QingYuan, a sanitation service provider in

Hohhot, which successfully improved waste management efficiency, reduced environmental

pollution, and enhanced community engagement through innovative solutions. After taking

6722 in CityU. I found the following aspects can be improved.

Before Qingyuan’s intervention, the city has the following questions:

1. Overflowing Landfills – Environmental and Health Crisis

Only 20% of waste was recycled, while the remaining 80% ended up in landfills, many of

which were nearing full capacity. Hazardous waste, such as batteries and electronic waste,

was improperly disposed of, contaminating soil and groundwater, while methane emissions

from decomposing organic waste further exacerbated climate change and air pollution.

Nearby communities reported increased respiratory illnesses due to toxic fumes from burning

waste, highlighting the severe environmental and public health consequences of inadequate

waste management.

2. Inefficient Collection Routes – Wasted Time and Resources

Waste collection trucks followed decades-old routes that didn’t account for population growth

or new residential areas, resulting in some neighbors receiving daily pickups despite low

waste generation while high-density areas suffered from missed collections and overflowing

bins. Additionally, fuel costs were 30% higher than necessary due to redundant trips and poor

route planning, and delays in garbage pickup led to illegal dumping, further worsening the

city’s cleanliness.
3. Low Public Participation – Lack of Awareness and Engagement

Low public participation in recycling efforts stems primarily from a lack of awareness and

engagement, as most households fail to separate recyclables from general waste, rendering

recycling initiatives ineffective. Surveys indicate that only 15% of residents are familiar with

proper waste segregation guidelines, while many others perceive recycling as inconvenient or

pointless, leading to minimal involvement in city-run programs. Additionally, the absence of

incentives for responsible waste disposal further discourages behavioral change, leaving

residents unmotivated to adopt better waste management habits.

4. High Operational Costs – Financial Strain on the City

Manual sorting at landfills required excessive labor, increasing payroll expenses, while

frequent breakdowns in aging garbage trucks led to costly repairs and service disruptions.

Additionally, the city spent millions annually on landfill maintenance and waste

transportation, further straining its budget. To make matters worse, fines from environmental

regulators for non-compliance with waste management laws added to the financial burdens,

compounding the challenges of an already inefficient system.

Improvement

To City’s sanitation crisis, Qingyuan implemented a multi-pronged strategy combining smart

technology, behavioral incentives, strategic partnerships, and data analytics. Below is an

expanded breakdown of each solution:

1. Smart Waste Collection System

 Sensor-Equipped Smart Bins

 enabled waste bins were installed across high-traffic areas (residential zones, markets,

offices).
  Ultrasonic fill-level sensors detected when bins reached 80% capacity and

automatically alerted the central waste management system.

 Real-time monitoring via a cloud-based dashboard allowed dispatchers to prioritize

collections based on urgency, eliminating unnecessary pickups.

 Reduced overflow incidents by 60%, improving public hygiene and reducing pest

infestations.

2. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) – Scaling Impact

 Government & Tech Startup Collaborations

 Smart Bin Funding: The city council co-funded IoT bins with Qingyuan, sharing costs

50-50.

 Waste-to-Energy Plant: A startup specializing in biogas conversion partnered to

process organic waste into electricity, powering 1,000+ homes annually.

 NGO & Community Engagement

 "Zero Waste Schools" Program: NGOs conducted workshops for students, turning

them into eco-ambassadors.

 Door-to-Door Awareness Drives: Volunteers educated households on waste

segregation best practices.

 Corporate Sponsorships: Businesses adopted zones, funding cleanup drives in

exchange for brand visibility.