As the city’s garbage classification promotion has moved into full swing, some communities have already taken the lead in this “white war”. The Ronghua Community on Hongqiao Street, whose residents are mostly foreigners, is one of the exemplar setting pioneers.

In 2018, the municipality government released an action plan which drew a blueprint for the construction of waste disposal facilities over three years, including renovating more than 17,000 garbage bins and 41 large-scale waste transfer stations.

According to the government file, on July 1, a waste management regulation will take effect making waste sorting mandatory. Local households will need to classify their garbage correctly into four categories: dry, wet, recyclable and harmful, otherwise they will be fined. It is expected that in the near future, garbage classification will be an everyday habit as it is in some developed countries.