SHENZHEN’S urban management bureau is considering imposing a fine of 50 yuan (US$7.36) on residents who fail to sort garbage.

Organizations that fail to do so will be fined 1,000 yuan.

Property management companies that fail to publicize the locations and time to put and collect the sorted waste will be fined 2,000 yuan, officials with the city’s urban management bureau said at a citywide promotion event for obligatory waste classification last week.

Shenzhen is one of the 46 cities that were chosen by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development to pilot obligatory waste classification this March.

At present, the city has formed a system for sorting bulk waste, used textiles, used potted flowers and plants, kitchen garbage, vegetable waste and poisonous waste. The waste is sorted and then either incinerated or put in a landfill.

To subdivide the sorting and encourage more residents to get involved in garbage classification, the municipal urban management bureau released a guidance on household garbage classification. The guidance gives detailed explanations on the standards for dustbins, and methods of waste classification, collection and transportation.

The urban management bureau will commission professional companies to handle poisonous waste and bulk waste such as furniture, used potted plants, textiles, metal and plastic objects.

The urban management bureaus at the city and district levels are expediting the installation of standard dustbins in housing estates and urban villages. The work will be completed before the end of October, and effective collection and transportation systems will be in place by that time.

(Han Ximin)