Garbage sorting calls for holistic planning
Children learn how to sort waste in kindergarden in Changzhi, Shanxi Province. Photo: Yang Chenguang/XINHUA
Garbage sorting seems to be a trivial matter in daily life, but it is a form of behavioral consensus in the construction of modern ecological civilization. Throughout world history, the legal regulation of waste sorting has been initiated and promoted at the critical stage of industrialization. During this period, different publics have shown great awareness of waste sorting due to environmental protection education and witnessing environmental pollution. At the same time, the technological and economic advancement accumulated in the early and middle stages of industrialization have also become the bedrock for managing waste sorting. At present, China is in a critical period of ecological civilization construction. The CPC Central Committee has made overall plans for waste sorting in line with the country’s laws for ecological and environmental protection and regular patterns of economic and social development.
A soft fire makes a sweet malt—such is true of waste sorting as it relates to the transformation of social values and lifestyles. From an international perspective, it takes at least one or two generations to make waste sorting operate smoothly and cover a large area. China may save a lot of time in achieving this goal due to a number of factors. At present, its ecological civilization system is optimizing incrementally. It is nurturing a social and economic development pattern consistent with ecological protection. The public has come to an agreement on the importance of ecological civilization. Here are several suggestions for the implementation and management of waste sorting based on national circumstances.
First of all, it is necessary to coordinate the strategies for promoting waste sorting in cities and rural areas. Cities and rural areas must take simultaneous steps, but their choice of guidelines, goals, policies and measures may differ from each other due to different living conditions. In the rural governance system for waste sorting, it is recommended to emphasize governments’ guiding role, village party branches’ support, more organization and coordination backed by village committees, village self-government, and township ethics. As for the governance system of urban waste sorting, it can start with public institutions such as government organizations, schools and hospitals. It behooves us to explicate the responsibilities of various departments concerning commerce, residential construction, sanitation and civil affairs, aiming to integrate waste recycling, residential area recycling, sanitation and garbage collection, and neighborhood committee work and policies.
It is necessary to coordinate the construction of scientific standards for waste sorting systems. Garbage sorting includes various sorting procedures, such as collection, transportation, whole-course reduction and processing. Therefore, policy formulation should give attention to each procedure. For example, in urban and rural areas, on the basis of a system of trash metering, it is possible to provide preferential treatment for groups with financial difficulties and for outstanding waste sorters.
Some cities require residents to sort waste into four kinds: recyclable waste, unrecyclable waste, hazardous waste and other waste. Some cities categorize waste into three kinds: dry refuse, wet trash and other waste. In other places and rural areas, waste is only divided into dry refuse and wet trash. Waste sorting methods should be practical, effective and easy for people to accept. They should be implemented if they promote the goal of protecting the environment. There is no one-size fits all measures for waste sorting across the country.
Finally, there is a need to coordinate the design of long-term management mechanisms for waste sorting. These mechanisms touch upon fundraising, equipment operation and cleaning, habit cultivation, and rewards and punishments. Only in this way, can we mobilize all groups in society, so that more people can stay commited to improving this “travail” matter for a long time.
This article was translated from Guangming Daily.
edited by MA YUHONG