Editorials

Classification of trash

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-26 08:00

Many factors matter when it comes to sustainable urban life. The safe treatment of trash is one of them. Beijing is asking its citizens for opinions about the proposed garbage classification rules that it intends to introduce to better manage trash, a step toward its goal of reducing the total amount of trash and achieving sustainable treatment of it.

The draft regulations stipulate that individuals who violate trash classification rules will face fines of between 20 to 200 yuan and the fine for work units will be from 5,000 to 50,000 yuan. Individuals or work units who do a good job of reducing the total amount of trash they produce will receive rewards.

So far, classification of trash has only been practiced in some communities on a trial basis and investigations show that most residents are yet to develop the awareness and habit of sorting trash into different receptacles. Even in those pilot communities, some residents ignore the different trash cans and throw bags of mixed waste into the nearest can.

It is essential to bring home the importance of trash classification, but such rules are not going to work without cooperation from residents.

How to make residents cooperate in garbage sorting remains the sticking point. This is where community workers need to play a much more active role. Grassroots government, such as sub-district committees and neighborhood committees, must be well organized and take responsibility for getting across to the public the importance of trash classification and how it is done.

In addition, community workers are needed to guide residents so they know what kind of trash to put in which can. They also need to supervise whether there are residents who defy the rules and throw away mixed trash.

It is perhaps not easy for some residents to develop the new habit of putting different trash into different bags, but they must change. The safe disposal of urban waste will never be realized without trash sorting by residents.

Residents protest against the establishment of trash incinerators nearby for fear of toxic emissions. So something must be done to let residents know that classification of trash is the most effective way to reduce the toxic gases, such as dioxin, emitted from incinerators. They must do their bit for the safe disposal of garbage.

Local governments should never take it for granted that once rules are made, people will follow the rules and things will be done. Government officials need to go down to communities and mobilize community workers to stand by trash cans, teach residents how to classify garbage and make sure they do the right thing.

That process is a must for the rules to work.

(China Daily 11/26/2010 page8)