RESIDENTIAL communities where a majority of residents are interested in participating in Shanghai’s “green account” scheme will be able to apply to be included in the city’s garbage sorting incentive plan this year, the city’s greenery authorities said yesterday.

Current practice gave consideration to a residential complex’s location, size and some other conditions without considering its residents’ enthusiasm, said the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.

The bureau was researching the ratio of residents willing to participate in the plan, said Qi Yumei, deputy director of the bureau’s sanitation management department.

Neighborhood committees will collect residents’ opinions and submit applications to greenery authorities.

Green account holders earn points by sorting garbage. They can redeem the points for milk, soup, toothpaste, phonecards and tickets to tourist attractions — or use the points to pay utility bills.