Exactly a year ago today, Nanjing introduced regulations making the separating of household refuse a mandatory requirement. But has it all gone according to plan, what difference can a year make and is the Southern Capital now also a recycling capital?
It was on 1 November, 2020, that Nanjing enacted its “Regulations on the Management of Domestic Waste in Nanjing”. Around 3 months later, The Nanjinger surveyed a large number of local people and foreigners, living in a cross section of Nanjing’s administrative areas, the thinking being different parts of the city may have adopted the measures to a lesser or greater extent.
By and large, the results of the survey weren’t bad at all. While there was still much to be done, especially in terms of public education, most parts of the city had implemented full or partial rubbish separation facilities in their respective residential communities.
With today’s anniversary, The Nanjinger caught up once again with many of those surveyed at the start of the year, and some new folk, to see what’s changed. And the results have a stark message for us.
But first the good news. Local man, Wu Tianhao, who lives in the Huaqiao Subdistrict of Gulou District in Xinjiekou, feels that the main change a year on is psychological. “I think the main gain lies in people’s awareness. People are getting to know that sorting things out is beneficial for the environment and, more importantly, once it’s a habit, it’s even tempting to do so”, he said.
Over in Jiangbei New Area and back in January, we spoke with a foreign man, preferring to be unnamed, who lives in Tongxin Community. Back then, it was one of those given an “A” rating, defined as having fully implemented the government’s rubbish classification policy, with purpose-built facilities.
“Everything is still in place. I have seen no visible differences over the year. I did happen to notice the other day an elderly person who clearly still had not clue what goes where!”, he said. “But the bins are monitored most of the time by helpful ladies who make sure it’s all done properly, and very long hours they work too! So I would say our community is still fully committed.”
Reports coming out of Qixia District at Royal Family Garden (RFG), another community previously given an “A” rating for its rubbish classification, are also positive. A foreign resident living therein told us today, “Ours seems to be working ok, two old people with OCD separate all the plastic diligently. The kitchen stuff seems to be separated pretty well too”, she said.
Another resident of Xianlin in Qixia District, Alan Zhao, told The Nanjinger, “The residents in our community have formed a consciousness of environment protection. I think people has the concept of separating their rubbish by order in our community. And the facilities in place are still functioning and correctly used”, Zhao said.
“In the early period, when the rubbish classification rule was implemented, the community placed one guide in each facility, but as time passed, until now, I seldom see them.”
With positivity coming out of the west in Pukou District, downtown Nanjing itself and all the way out in northeaster Qixia District, it can therefore be deduced with a fair degree of accuracy that much of Nanjing’s efforts at rubbish separation continue in earnest. Yet, The Nanjinger found one, major part of the city lacking in the extreme, none other than Nanjing’s largest and most populous district; Jiangning.
Jill Xu who lives in Jiangning was one of those The Nanjinger spoke to this morning. “I feel really sorry about this. They bought a brand new rubbish classification system, which has different ‘doors’; stand still in front of that door, it should open automatically, but not very smart, and no instruction at all”, she said.
“Then I went to my parents home for a month due to [COVID] in the summer. When I came back, the big machine was totally abandoned. The original rubbish bins came back.”
Other were more vocal. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a foreign resident in Jiangning District’s Xiangshan Meishu Community said, “Absolutely b***** useless! Machines either off, even when they are on, the rubbish collecting truck says it all goes in the same bin anyway. There are five-six normal bins sat in front of the recycling bins so most people just throw rubbish in there, including me as I know it is not being separated at site.
“It feels like management don’t really care if it is done or not. There are still the people who sift through the rubbish and collect, so I generally give cardboard, etc. directly to them.”
Another foreign man living nearby in Tuolejia Community said, “We actually gave up having the separate bins at home just yesterday. If there is a positive, it’s that we’re no longer pointlessly throwing away additional plastic bags. For us, rubbish classification is an absolute disaster”.
Then where is Nicole Zhu, again in Jiangning, living in Jingwangfu Community. “Rubbish classification in my community is totally a disappointment. All bins are now at the front door of every building, basically back to the way before”, she said.
Zhu’s comments sum up well the state of rubbish classification for almost 2 million residents of Nanjing; non existent. Come on Jiangning, get your act together.
