Shenzhen tests waste classification

Shenzhen will introduce waste classification in communities, officials from the Shenzhen urban management bureau said at a news conference on July 2.

According to the bureau's deputy chief Ye Guo, the city will set up 500 pilot communities this year in which waste classification will be introduced.

The communities are encouraged to purchase small waste treatment facilities and the bureau will subsidize part of the funds. Specific implementation will be carried out by the property management and cleaning companies, Ye said.

He said the waste will be sorted into four categories including recycling waste and kitchen waste, while kitchen waste will be the focus.

In Shenzhen, kitchen waste makes up about 50 percent of the total waste, and since the weather in Shenzhen is hot it goes bad easily and can pollute water or stink during collection, transportation and handling, according to the bureau.

Statistics from the bureau show the city's total waste has seen an annual increase of 8 percent in the past few years. In June the city treated 14,400 metric tons waste a day, up 10 percent year-on-year. If this trend continues, waste will reach 17,800 tons per day by 2015.