Nanjing appears serious about recycling, as new policies are about to come into force that will make the sorting of rubbish a mandatory requirement for both individuals and organisations of all kinds. Flouting the rules could invoke a fine of up to ¥50,000.
It all began last summer in Shanghai. On 1 July, the Shanghai Municipal Domestic Waste Management Regulations came into force, stating that rubbish need be catagorised into recyclable waste, hazardous waste, residual waste and household food waste.
While not startlingly different to recycling policies in many western countries, the move had Shanghai citizens up in arms. Regarding the Regulations as a joke, the Shanghainese reveled in pointing out the case of milk tea. Theoretically, its recycling would entail leftover milk going down the toilet, the pearls going to household waste, the cup to residual waste and finally, the lid to recyclable waste.
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Here in Nanjing, authorities are banking on the city’s citizens being more level headed.
As such, the Standing Committee of the Nanjing Municipal People’s Congress is currently formulating the “Regulations on the Management of Domestic Waste in Nanjing”. The Regulations are expected to be officially implemented in the second half of this year.
The Nanjing regulations also call for a four-fold classification system; recyclables, hazardous waste, kitchen waste and other waste, reported CCTV News on 18 April.
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At present, 64 residential communities are participating in trials for the scheme. The Regulations are calling for standardisation in the locating of domestic waste classification collection containers, likely in key parts of residential communities for easy access by those living therein.
We can expect a considerable propaganda effort during this second quarter of the year to make the populace aware of what is expected of them.
It would be wise of us to pay notice. Individuals who do not follow the new classification system could face a fine of ¥200, while companies can expect to be hit with anything between ¥5,000 and ¥50,000. Media has also speculated that in addition to the fine, those who disobey might also have points deducted in China’s now-infamous Social Credit System.