This article originally appeared on our sister website, Urban Family Shanghai.
By Yuzhou Hu
We recently reported on the city taking garbage sorting more seriously, and it seems this has escalated to a new level. According to a newly-drafted regulation, companies in Shanghai are at risk of being fined up to RMB100,000 if they are found mixing trash during collection and transportation phases, reports Shine.
The new regulation may be a result of the city's garbage overflow issue. Since 2001, the amount of garbage in Shanghai has grown at a year-on-year rate of three percent. Currently, approximately 7.5 million tons of trash are processed each year.
To handle the 'siege of the garbage,' local authorities are fixing the issue from all angles, including the source, dumping, collection and transportation.
There is no doubt that reducing the garbage from the source is a pivotal part of the garbage sorting scheme. "We are mainly targeting the use of disposable items this time," states Deng Jianping, director of the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau. "Several regulations will be set up to increase the use of eco-friendly materials, especially in the express industry."
Image via Sina
The result of the garbage sorting is directly linked to the standards of sorting that companies must follow. That being said, the standards for Shanghai are continually changing. The draft clarifies that it will preserve the sorting system which was promoted by the State Council last year, that is, to classify the garbage as wet garbage, dry garbage, recyclable trash and hazardous waste. Upgraded trash cans are set up across the city to fit the system.
Both organizations and individuals are required to follow the re-sorting system and companies are prohibited from mixing the four classified types of garbage. Any violation will lead to a fine of up to RMB100,000 (USD14,553), and their garbage collection certification will be revoked.
Shanghai introduced the 'green credit system' back in 2013 to help sort trash. Currently, over three million households have registered. In 2020, a garbage fee will be introduced to hold a rein on the overflow issue further. However, exact details have yet to be released.
[Cover image via Pexels]
This article was originally published by our sister magazine Urban Family Shanghai. For more articles like this, visit the Urban Family website, or follow the Urban Family WeChat account (ID: urbanfamilyshanghai).
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