Shanghai garbage sorting enforcement begins

The Shanghai Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau issued three rectification notices when raiding hotels and shopping malls in downtown Jing'an district on July 1 morning, the first day the city's regulations on household garbage sorting and recycling took effect.

Swissotel Grand Shanghai, a five-star hotel on Yuyuan Road, received the first rectification notice as used tissue was found discarded as recyclable garbage that had gone through final classification at the hotel's garbage station.

Upon receiving the notice, the hotel was required to correct its mistake immediately. Snap inspections will be carried out within a month and a second violation will result in a fine between 5,000 to 50,000 yuan ($730 to 7,300).

Crystal Galleria and Park Place, both shopping malls at the heart of Jing'an Temple commercial district, also received rectification notices as they didn't provide the standard four trash cans according to waste categories of recyclable, hazardous, wet and dry.

Aiming for more efficient garbage disposal, Shanghai began to implement its first regulation on domestic waste management on Monday, making garbage sorting compulsory. Individuals and units shall shoulder responsibilities to classify garbage according to the four waste categories.