Garbage Classification

Abstract

Starting from late May of 2019, the Chinese government has started to enforce the garbage classification law in Beijing, which requires local citizens to mandatorily classify their trash in public places, such as schools and hospitals, and will gradually cover more areas. In July, the laws on garbage management were also implemented in Shanghai, with more cities following this footstep. This chain of events has clearly demonstrated the determination of the Chinese government in dealing with garbage classification, which has long been a significant problem in China, in order to protect the environment and develop sustainable cities. This paper combines a variety of sources, including internet webpages and interviews, etc., to analyze different aspects of the laws implemented by the Chinese government in Shanghai and Beijing, including their benefits and problems, to finally form a prediction that the laws would not succeed or show evident effectiveness for these cities in the near future. This paper helps provide insights to the garbage classification policies, and advocates that citizens should wait patiently for the success of the laws, instead of bragging or criticizing them right away.