The Yangtze Delta turned into a “hog wash” overnight as nearly 3,000 dead pigs were found dumped into Hengliaojing Creek in Shanghai’s suburban district of Songjiang on March 10. The municipal government said the dead pigs were raised in the city of Jiaxing’s Nanhu district in Zhejiang Province. There are severe concerns about the extent to which the drinking water was polluted by the pig carcasses as the creek flows into the upper reach of the Huangpu River, a source of Shanghai’s drinking water.

The river in Henggang village, Nanhu district, has turned black as farmers have dumped pig swill into it for a long time. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

A banner on the street advertises pig feed. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

A local village has a special site designated to take in pig carcasses. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

A special hole made for the lawful dumping of dead pigs. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

A worker walks past a pig carcass hole. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

A farmer shows a bottle of medicine for sick pigs. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

Nearly every household in the village has a pigpen outside it. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

Cars carrying pigs are commonplace on roads outside Henggang village. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

Pig carcasses are found floating in the river. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

Concern is mounting as to how the dead pigs have contaminated the water. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

New pigpens keep on being built although the price for pigs is decreasing. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

Pig carcasses are found randomly dumped into bushes along the roadside. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

A boy and his mother drive past a dead pig on the roadside. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

A pig peeks out from his pen, perhaps contemplating a bleak future. Photo: Yang Hui / GT

 

 

Related reports:

Coming clean on pollution
Huangpu dumped pig toll nears 6,000
Dead pigs traced back to Zhejiang
Dead pigs threaten waterway

Pig pollution shows urgent need to ensure water quality