TRASH IN BEIJING

Beijing, with its 22 million residents, faces a monumental trash issue. The city generated nearly 8 million tons of trash in 2020, equivalent to covering an area 34 times the size of Manhattan in ankle-deep garbage. This alarming statistic has earned Beijing the unenviable title of China's most trash-ridden city, with 7.9 million tons of domestic waste produced in 2015, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection's 2016 Annual Report of Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control in China. This "domestic waste" comprises everyday materials like cardboard, food scraps, and newspapers. The trash problem in Beijing is on the rise, with domestic waste increasing by 1.18 million tons in just two years. The growing pile of garbage presents a significant challenge, exacerbated by the difficulty in finding suitable locations for landfills and incinerators in such a densely populated city.

The issue of trash in Beijing also has a social dimension. Many migrant workers who make a living by collecting and recycling waste are facing crackdowns, with authorities attempting to curb the city's booming population. This situation raises questions about who will continue to perform essential waste management tasks if these workers are pushed out of the city. However, Beijing is not without solutions. Following Shanghai's lead, the Chinese capital will implement a compulsory waste-sorting policy, affecting its 21 million residents. This policy, set to take effect in spring, will require households to sort trash by disposal method, including incineration, landfill, and recycling. Shanghai has already initiated similar rules since July 2019. These policies aim to address the mounting waste issue, with China's largest city producing over 7.9 million tons of household trash in less than a year. The State Council has set a target to implement compulsory garbage sorting in 46 major Chinese cities by the end of 2020.

Waste sorting involves categorizing trash into four distinct groups: recyclable materials, hazardous waste, "wet" or organic garbage, and "dry" waste. Achieving these goals will require a fundamental shift in household habits, business operations, and government procedures. Many Chinese cities still rely on waste-pickers to sift through trash, leaving the remaining waste to be mixed and transported by sanitation departments for incineration or landfills.

Beijing has embarked on the path of waste management change, emphasizing reduction at the source as the key to managing domestic waste more effectively. The city has initiated various waste-sorting campaigns, but the absence of an official system for the entire trash sorting, transportation, and disposal chain has hindered progress. The challenges in managing kitchen waste, particularly perishable "wet" food waste, have been significant. Innovative solutions such as biogas production and fertilizer from such waste require a certain level of purity, posing a considerable challenge in a city that produces tons of it daily. Despite the hurdles, the move towards more sustainable waste disposal methods is crucial. Beijing plans to increase incineration capacity and reduce landfill use, aligning with China's overall shift toward more responsible waste management.