China enters the “enforcement era” of garbage classification

It is hard to imagine that Beijing produces nearly 26,000 tons of household waste every day, and 29 waste disposal terminals in the city are operating at full capacity at all times. In Shanghai, it takes 12 days to produce enough garbage to fill an Oriental pearl tower and 23 days to fill a global financial center. In Xi 'an, a village of nearly 2,000 villagers, produces about 2,000 kilograms of household waste every day.

And where does all this garbage come from? It may be that groups of tourists don't throw their rubbish into outdoor trash cans when playing in the sea, which leads to more and more rubbish in the sea. Perhaps there aren't enough outdoor storage cans in the city for residents. It may also be that the galvanized trash cans are not galvanized bins with lids, which cannot block the bad smell and make people reluctant to approach. It may also be the lack of large garbage cans in supermarkets and factories, which leads to incomplete garbage classification and treatment. It could also be that the plastic bins are not as durable as galvanized bins and are replaced in time after breaking.

At present, a large number of household waste has become a major constraint on the construction of a beautiful and green China.

Significant Progress Has Been Made in the Treatment of Household Waste in Megacities

The process of garbage classification in megacities can be traced back to the work of pilot of garbage classification and collection in 8 cities started by the ministry of housing and urban-rural development in 2000. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Sgenzhen are among the eight cities listed. Over the past 20 years, there has been significant progress in sorting household waste in these megacities.

And kitchen waste is being sorted out. In megacities, kitchen waste usually accounts for nearly half of household waste. Take Shenzhen as an example, residents in Shenzhen produce more than 5,000 tons of kitchen waste every day, accounting for 44% of household waste. The separation and treatment of kitchen waste are the breakthrough of urban classification of household waste.

Say "no" to Unsorted Garbage

In a week's time, the regulations on the management of household waste in Shanghai will be put into effect. The regulation is striking because of its symbolic significance. After more than 20 years of advocacy work, Shanghai has taken the lead in incorporating waste classification into the legal framework.

Through legislation, Shanghai has clarified the classification standards of recyclables, hazardous waste, wet waste and dry waste. Hotels and restaurants are not allowed to provide disposable goods voluntarily. For the first time, the whole process of household waste is classified. For example, individuals can be fined up to 200 yuan if they throw garbage in a mixture. 

The new policy also means that we need to prepare new outdoor storage bins and large trash cans, such as galvanized metal cans. Compared with the plastic can, the metal garbage can is more durable and more beautiful. Galvanized bins with lids are also perfect for avoiding foul smells.