An online picture of two street cleaners asking for fewer firecrackers to be set off during Spring Festival has triggered widespread interest.

The married couple, wearing their orange work outfits, were photographed standing in a street holding a heart-shaped card asking for young people to cut back on the number of firecrackers to enable the couple to return home earlier.

Their message ends with the words, "Thanks for your understanding."

The photo was taken by community worker Li Hui in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, to draw public attention to the contribution made by street cleaners. It was posted online on Tuesday.

Street cleaning in China involves early starts and relatively low wages. Many of the cleaners are elderly and come from rural areas.

"My job is to manage the street cleaners and I fully understand how hard their work is," Li said. "Most of them are old, and I hope that society will pay more attention to them by supporting and understanding their hard work."

The cleaners in the picture are 67-year-old Zhou Suqin and her husband, Ai Shaoli, 66.

Zhou, who has been a street cleaner for 14 years, said: "Li Hui shot the photo of us at night on Monday when we were cleaning the street in front of Yan'an railway station. I didn't know she had posted it online."

She said that she and her husband usually get to go home at midnight on Lunar New Year's Eve and have to get up at about 4 am the next day to work longer hours clearing firecracker remains from the streets.

They both earn 1,100 yuan ($180) a month, the minimum monthly salary in Yan'an.

Zhou said the couple are unable to get home on time on Lunar New Year's Eve for a reunion dinner with their children and other family members.

Response to the picture has been generally positive. Many people said in their posts that they would not set off firecrackers during Spring Festival. Some even suggested that people clear the remains of their firecrackers themselves.

But Li added: "I also felt somewhat sad because some people made jokes online about the photo, using Photoshop software. I hope they can be more respectful toward the cleaners."

Firecrackers, which can increase the concentration of pollutants tenfold, have been in the media spotlight as China tackles air pollution.

The national environmental watchdog has announced strict controls for Spring Festival, with Lunar New Year's Eve falling on Feb 18. It has increased the number of areas where firecrackers are prohibited and will widen supervision.

In Beijing, fireworks will only be on sale for 11 days from Feb 13, the shortest period in eight years.

In Shaanxi, the home province of Zhou and her husband, the authorities have reduced firecracker sales by at least 10 percent.

malie@chinadaily.com.cn