An environment protection "company" run by students was established recently at the No.56 Primary School in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"Our school is located near the railway station and surrounded by crowed residential areas, and our environment was polluted by garbage and sewage. We established the company to improve our surroundings," said Ye Maoxia, principal of the school.

"Besides cleaning our campus, we also collect garbage in nearby residential blocks and promote awareness of health issues among the residents," said Liu Xiaohua, 13, "general manager" of the company and a fifth grade student.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2007)