Subdistrict has garbage sorting in the bag
A resident in the Xinhong subdistrict receives free garbage bags designed for trash sorting.
A resident in the Xinhong sub-district uses a garbage bag for dry waste.
Free sets of trash bags color-coded to correspond with Shanghai's new garbage-sorting categories are being distributed in Xinhong subdistrict in the Hongqiao business hub area of Minhang District.
The sets comprise four types of bags colored black for dry waste, brown for wet, blue for recyclables and red for hazardous.
Wet trash bags are 0.018 millimeters thick, compared with commercially available bags that have an average thickness of 0.005 to 0.006 millimeters. This will prevent leakages.
The thickness of the other three types of garbage bags is 0.01 millimeters.
The four rolls of bags are placed inside a paper box-like container. Each set includes 22 bags for dry trash and 22 bags for wet, and fewer bags for hazardous and recyclable trash.
Examples of types of trash are printed on the bags.
The bags were designed and manufactured by JD.com based on specifications from the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.
The subdistrict covers 19.26 square kilometers and has a population of 78,000.
The largest residential complex in the sub-district has 4,800 households. There are also some business areas.
The bags, priced at 24.9 yuan (US$3.62) per set, are being distributed to residents, volunteers and office buildings for free.
"The purpose is to get youngsters involved in garbage sorting because the area has a large number of young office workers and many apartment renters are young as well," said Fan Minhan, secretary of the Youth League Committee of the subdistrict.
"The most difficult group to mobilize in garbage sorting is young people because they are busy and lack communication with neighborhood committees," said Fan. "The awareness and participation rate of youngsters is not high."
The subdistrict also uses the bags as gifts to reward good practice in trash sorting.
Resident Cao Meijuan said: "I have prepared two bins for different trash at home, and bags with different colors for correct classification."
The bags are expected to be used in other residential complexes in the district.
