Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

SHENZHEN will start enforcing its first regulation on household garbage management in May to make garbage classification compulsory, instead of voluntary.

The regulation was passed at a meeting of the city’s top legislature yesterday and will take effect May 1.

Shanghai’s regulation requires people to sort trash into four categories — recyclables, kitchen waste, harmful waste and other waste.

Recyclables refer to those that are of recycling value, such as glass, metal, plastic, paper, fabrics, used furniture and plant waste for festivals. Kitchen waste refers to waste produced in the kitchen. Most of the waste not mentioned above can be put into the categories of harmful waste and other waste.

Individuals who fail to sort their garbage and refuse to correct their behavior will face a fine of 50-200 yuan (US$7-29), according to the rule.

The rule also allows kitchen waste to be dropped, in principle, during at least two time periods each day, and be transported away within 12 hours. No other details have been made available.

Community service centers are required to set up bins to collect waste medicine and medical apparatus while health authorities should supervise the collection, transportation and storage of medicine, the rule says.

Deserted plants and flowers should be separated from pots and soil, and be put into separated dustbins. Regarding potted flowers and plants that can be recycled, households and companies can make reservations for recycling through the “深圳垃圾分类” WeChat account.

Things like furniture and electronic products such as TVs should be put in designated places for collection.

To promote garbage classification, the city government is working on a catalogue of Shenzhen’s social credit information and those who refuse to honor the duty of classification and are administratively punished may be added to the system.

To promote garbage classification, each district government is offering 62.5 million yuan a year to award households, companies and housing estates that do a good job.

More than 2,500 housing estates had completed the removal of dustbins from floors inside buildings by the end of this October.

To reduce waste in packaging and courier services, the city’s postal administration has introduced recycled, degradable materials that can be used repeatedly in packaging and delivery services. The program was first introduced in Longgang District. The reusable packing boxes are available in 95 housing estates and have helped save 44,000 kilograms of paper boxes.

Shenzhen has also made solid progress in garbage incineration with the operation of Phase II of Nanshan Energy Ecology Park in June, which added 1,500 tons a day to the city’s garbage treatment capacity.

In July, Phase III of Bao’an Energy Ecology Park was put into operation, adding a daily capacity of 3,800 tons. Longgang has put six garbage incinerators into test operation and handled 5,000 tons of garbage a day. The city’s total garbage treatment capacity has reached 18,000 tons a day.