Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

SHENZHEN is mulling rewards for individuals, households and residential communities that have made outstanding contributions in garbage sorting, according to Yang Lei, vice head of the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Administration and Law Enforcement Bureau.

A total of 62.5 million yuan (US$9.07 million) will be reserved by 10 districts across the city as incentives for garbage sorting each year through 2021, according to the detailed incentive plan that has been published on the bureau’s official website to solicit public opinion and is expected to be implemented next month.

“The subsidies will not be distributed based on single actions but on annual performance,” Yang said in an interview with China Central Television.

The plan suggested that devoted garbage sorting practitioners, including residents, families and residential compounds, can receive rewards of 1,000 yuan, 2,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan, respectively, per 1,000 households, with a 300,000 yuan maximum.

Outstanding public units will not be directly rewarded, but the main leaders of each unit will be offered 1,000 yuan.

The city’s annual quota for selected individuals, households and residential communities are 1,000, 5,000 and 500, respectively. Each district can set their own standards based on the permanent resident population and number of residential communities.

Public institutions, such as Party and government offices, institutions, schools, enterprises and social organizations, will not be rationed.

To be specific, the requirement for brilliant households is that family members should have a record of accurately classifying garbage for at least 120 days and have participated in at least six garbage sorting activities in residential communities within a year.

Qualified individuals, such as supervisors and volunteers, must have spent at least 200 hours supervising or providing services for garbage sorting.

Teachers who have played a significant role in promoting garbage sorting on campus have a chance at the prize, while others must have at least two years of working experience in garbage sorting and demonstrate a strong positive role in promoting this cause.

Residential compounds should have achieved evident results in garbage classification. Rewards will be given to property companies and management units, based on the plan.

Aside from the material rewards, selected units will be entitled to priority in applying for selections as civilized families and green campuses.

The Shenzhen Municipal Government has submitted a garbage sorting regulation, which stipulates the types and methods of garbage sorting and relevant punishments, to the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress to advance the legislation.

Deputies to the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress have begun conducting relevant research. The regulation is expected to be in full practice next year, according to Shenzhen TV.

Shenzhen has strengthened measures requiring that residents throw away their household garbage in designated places and allocated staff to supervise the sorting at a fixed time and location.

Normal household garbage is divided into four types — namely glass, metal, plastic and paper waste, food waste, hazardous waste and other waste — which does not require residents to distinguish between wet trash and recyclable or dry trash.