Men load recyclables into a van at a pop-up collection point in a residential area in Beijing, China, November 3, 2016. As authorities try to control Beijing's burgeoning population and capitalize on skyrocketing land prices, scrap collectors say they are being pushed out despite playing a vital role in China's unique recycling ecosystem. Working in the shadow of Beijing's looming skyscrapers, Yin Xueqiang weighs a pile of cardboard and old shoe rack in a dusty scrap yard, the latest casualty of a crackdown on migrant workers in China's capital. Last week, security guards blocked the road used by Yin and his fellow scrap collectorsto enter the yard. Signs posted by local authorities earlier this month had given the collectors 10 days to leave. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Huan (2nd R), who runs a collection stall for used textiles, receives a customer as his son Peijun sits in his hut at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, October 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Huan feeds her son Peijun in her family's hut at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, October 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A scrap collector delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 19, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A worker watches an excavator load paper and cardboard onto a truck at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 19, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A man repairs a three-wheeled vehicle (foreground) typically used by garbage collectors at a pop-up repair shop on a pavement in Beijing, China, November 3, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Huan (R) and her son Peijun sit outside their hut as they talk with a neighbour at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A driver steers a lorry laden with bags of plastic bottles across a recycling yard at the outskirts of Beijing, China, August 19, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Li Xiangling empties a shed in Beijing, China, August 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A general view shows a recycling yard on the outskirts of Beijing, China, August 23, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Li Xiangling (L) smokes a cigarette after loading his tricycle with recyclables from a shed in Beijing, China, August 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Pieces of textile are piled up at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Steel rods are piled up at a scrap metal recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Children use a tablet computer as a man breaks styrofoam at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A woman who works at a collection point for cardboard leaves her hut at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A waste collector arrives on his tricycle loaded with cardboard at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A woman carries a child past a section of a recycling yard that was cleared after authorities closed access for deliveries to instigate the closing down of the facility at the edge of Beijing, China, November 22, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A view of various types of trash scattered on the ground at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A man walks past a discarded teddybear soft toy at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, October 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A worker cuts metal at a scrap metal stall at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, October 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Pressed cardboard is stacked up at a recycling yard in Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Men pile up styrofoam at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Liu (foreground) works at her family's wood collection point at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 29, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Kittens are seen at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Yin Xueqiang, who runs a metal collection stall, and his co-worker unload a delivery at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A worker counts money at a recycling yard as he poses for a picture in Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Li Xiangling drives his tricycle that is loaded with recyclables through an alley on the outskirts of Beijing, China, August 20, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Liu stands in the section of a recycling yard where her family ran a wood collection point, which they cleared out after authorities closed access for deliveries to the facility, in Beijing, China, November 22, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





A man piles up styrofoam at a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, September 21, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Security guards keeps watch at the entrance road to a recycling yard to prevent scrap collectors from entering, in Beijing, China, November 22, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Zhang delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Mr Liu delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Liu delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Liu delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Huang delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Urban miner Cheng delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Ma delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)





Scrap collector Zhang delivers recyclables on a tricycle to a recycling yard at the edge of Beijing, China, August 30, 2016. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)