A pilot project to sort garbage will be launched in Hangzhou next month, encouraging local citizens to separate recyclables. It will make recycling more effective and reduce landfills.

The Hangzhou City Management Office said that after the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on February 14, a garbage-sorting project will be launched in 32 residential communities. Public comment will be invited.

In recent years, Hangzhou's garbage has been increasing by around 10 percent a year. In 2008, the daily production of waste was 5,800 tons on average; by 2009 it climbed to 6,400. The maximum the garbage disposal plant can handle is 7,500 tons a day, but the limit will soon be reached.

Last year 60 percent of the garbage was buried in landfills and the rest of incinerated.

"The treatment is a great waste," says Cheng Guanghua, senior engineer from the Hangzhou Solid Waste Management Center. "There are resources worth 25 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) lost every year in China. They are not gas or high-tech products, but daily garbage."

Cheng says that recycling 1 ton of waste paper represents 850 kilograms of usable paper; 1 ton of kitchen garbage can generate 0.3 ton of organic fertilizer. One discarded "button" cell battery can pollute 600 tons of water with nickel-cadmium and other toxins.

Cleaner aim

Hence, recycling makes sense, but it's a mission impossible without standard sorting - separating glass, metal, plastics, paper and other materials.

Today in Hangzhou only 10 percent of garbage is treated after sorting- that should rise to 30 percent by 2011 if Hangzhou wants to bill itself as one of the cleanest cities in China.

Back in the 1980s and even earlier the city tried to get people to sort their garbage. People never bothered.

In 2002 the city set out trash bins for recyclable and non-recyclable garbage. People didn't bother.

Citizens never formed the habit of distinguishing different kinds of garbage and for years there has been lack of education and not enough recycling containers.

Other regions are promoting recycling.

In 1980 Japan started sorting garbage, including large items and appliances, recyclable items and toxic materials.

Since January 2005 Hong Kong has been sorting and recycling household waste.

Many and many kinds of bins, bags, boxes and barrels are distributed around the region. Property management companies regularly collect used clothing, electronic equipment and appliances in communities.

For several months, 32 Beijing communities have been sorting garbage. Each family is given garbage bags and sorting containers. Trash bins in communities are blue for recyclable, black for organic garbage and another for other solid waste.

Editor: Charlie

Source: Shanghai Daily