China officially launched the "no-waste city" pilot program in 16 areas on Monday.

 

本周一，中国16个地区开始“无垃圾城市”试点。

 

The pilot program covers the entirety of 11 cities, including Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Weihai, Shandong province, and sections of the other five cities.

 

The central government has made arrangements to offer support to the pilot areas in policy, technology and funding, said Zhuang Guotai, vice-minister of ecology and environment, at the launch ceremony in Shenzhen on Monday.

 

He said an expert committee has been established to guide the pilot program and evaluate progress, and seven groups have been put in place to offer technical support.

 

Financial support will be provided for the construction of infrastructure¹ to dispose of domestic waste and hazardous² solid waste. State-owned banks will contribute some of the funding needed as the two-year pilot program moves forward, Zhuang said.

 

"We hope governments of provincial³ regions enhance their support of these pilot areas and also encourage them to launch their own pilot programs if their conditions permit," he said.

 

The State Council unveiled the "no-waste city" pilot plan in January, aiming to minimize generation of waste, maximize its utilization⁴, safely dispose of solid waste and reduce landfills.

 

It also pledged to establish an index system for "no-waste cities" and an institutional and technical system for the management of such cities by 2020.

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