In an overnight operation, 68 metric tons of foul, black sewage were removed from a notorious "toxic ditch" in Jiawang district of Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, following intense media scrutiny.

The 12-kilometer roadside ditch along Nonggu Avenue, long plagued by pollution, had severely disrupted local agriculture and the lives of nearby villagers for years, according to a report by CCTV.

Despite repeated complaints from the community, the problem remained unaddressed until now.

CCTV reporters collected water samples from the sewage outlets and sent them for testing. Results showed that levels of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen exceeded Class V surface water environmental quality standards by approximately 70 times, earning it China's worst grade in its six-tier quality system for surface water.

High COD levels lead to reduced dissolved oxygen, causing water hypoxia, while high ammonia nitrogen poses toxic risks and affects the surrounding groundwater and air quality, threatening the ecosystem, according to the report.

It also revealed that local hoof processing workshops were using caustic soda and hydrogen peroxide before discharging the chemicals directly into the farmland drainage ditch and creating the foul water.

In response, the local government deployed 10 tanker trucks to remove the polluted water and initiated a dredging operation to clean the ditches. Additionally, law enforcement conducted overnight investigations at the workshops, discovering 3.5 tons of processed hooves and sealing the storage facilities.

Authorities identified several workshops as operating illegally, lacking environmental protection measures, and engaging in unauthorized discharges.

A joint investigation team, comprising the departments of ecology and environment, market supervision, agriculture and rural affairs, and public security, has been formed to address these violations.

Despite the efficient cleanup, questions linger online about the fate of the chemically processed hooves and their potential health risks to consumers, as well as why the villagers' complaints went unheard for so long.