It's no secret that the municipal government is pushing garbage sorting wholeheartedly to combat the escalating waste overflow issue. And now, it seems a fine of RMB200 will soon be applicable to any individual who 'fails' to manage household waste, reports The Paper.
The new clause was added to the latest draft of Shanghai Household Garbage Regulations. Compared with previous ones, the new regulations released on Tuesday, December 18, are more specific with segregating four different types of waste.
For instance, hazardous waste is now defined as 'harmful to human beings or the environment', which include used batteries and expired medicines. Recyclable trash refers to abandoned paper, plastic, glass and metals. The definition of wet garbage has been updated to "easily rotten", such as leftovers food and fruit peels; while dry garbage includes anything but the above, like plastic bags and cigarette butts, according to Shine.
Quite interestingly, the remains of TCM herb, which previously provoked controversy regarding its classification, is listed as wet garbage for the first time. At the same time, the draft orders relevant civic departments to provide online inquiry service for civilians and companies to refer to.
Image via The Paper
In accordance with the new classification, the new draft urges corporate and residence communities to provide trash bins suitable for all four kinds of waste. For other public places like squares and bus stops, dry garbage and recyclable trash bins are sufficient.
Any violation of aforementioned requirements could lead to a fine between RMB5,000 and RMB50,000 for firms and organizations. The new regulations have also stated the penalty for individuals for the first time. The behavior of mixing different types of trash together could result in a RMB200 fine.
According to Shine, the final draft of the garbage sorting regulations will be voted on in January. Meanwhile, a garbage fee is said to be introduced in the year of 2020. Currently, no further details are available.
[Cover image via Pexels]
