Garbage sorting a hot topic
Less than a week before new garbage-sorting regulations take effect, it has become one of the most popular topics on social media.
Yet while many people applaud it, some are still confused.
On Wednesday, lawmakers in suburban Shanghai's Jinshan District gathered at the civic center and expressed their concerns.
Lawmaker Lu Aiguo said he noticed most residents have tried their best to learn sorting regulations. Many sorted their garbage at home before taking to the bins.
But when the garbage truck came, all the rubbish was loaded and mixed together.
Fan Wenjun, head of Jinshan’s greenery and public sanitation bureau, said there is a shortage of garbage trucks.
“We have planned 30 trucks for wet waste but by June 21 we only had 15,” said Fan. “The rest will arrive before July 1.”
Fan urged residents to report to authorities if garbage is mixed up.
Tu Weizhong, from the district’s urban management bureau, said they have set up a database that covers 245 residential complexes, 87 public venues and 15 garbage stations.
With the database, the authority is able to monitor sorting.
“We have fined 11 companies for failing to follow the regulations,” Tu said.
After the regulations take effect, the bureau will conduct random inspections based on the database.
At Zhujing Town, the local government has invested 19.2 million yuan (US$2.8 million) on infrastructure to help residents better sort their waste.
“We have set 900 garbage bins in villages and residential complexes,” said Xia Hongmei, director of the town. “All 13,500 farmers in the town have bins for different kinds of waste.”
Xia said the problem for the town is a lack of land.
There is not enough room for building new garbage centers. The town has arranged a temporary collection point which can meet the needs of the town for now.