Wasting no time in better placement of trash bins

The allocation of garbage bins across the city will be adjusted based on a guideline to be released soon, local greenery and public sanitation authorities announced on Saturday.

Street litter bins are not properly placed in some areas, requiring improvement, Deng Jianping, director of the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, admitted recently in response to complaints from residents and tourists who said there are not enough bins on streets.

A guideline on the distribution of garbage bins on streets and public areas has been drafted and will be released soon, and improved measures will be implemented in the first half of this year based on the guideline, according to the bureau.

The city had 62,000 trash bins in 2019, and the number was cut to 36,000 in 2022 to usher in a low-carbon lifestyle and lift trash sorting efficiency, leading to complaints from some residents, said Deng.

By the end of 2022, the number was increased to 38,000 based on feedback of residents, he added.

Based on the guidelines, bins will be set up near bus stops and metro stations, and areas with busy traffic such as green areas, pocket parks and venues with a large pedestrian flow, according to the bureau.