Litter louts in Shenzhen are set to be hit with 1,000-yuan ($147) fines in future. The proposed penalty is one of the toughest on the Chinese mainland, and comes amid a raft of other environmental measures proposed by the authorities.
Currently, Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai impose fines of up to 200 yuan for littering. Guangzhou has raised the upper limit to 500 yuan, and Xiamen has increased it to 1,000 yuan. In the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, litter louts face fines of up to HK$3,000 ($382).
Shenzhen recently proposed to amend its regulation on domestic waste sorting and management, aiming to enhance the city's management capabilities and strengthen the legal framework surrounding garbage classification.
Under the proposed amendments, the maximum fine for individual violators will be raised from 200 to 1,000 yuan. The maximum fine for entities will remain at 500,000 yuan.
The new regulations also adjust certain terms regarding garbage collection, such as lifting restrictions on scheduled and designated-location waste disposal.
Household waste collection points could be set up in public areas of residential buildings, such as the ground floor or underground parking garages, provided that the area remains clean and tidy.
New measures concerning kitchen waste have also been proposed. The amendments require kitchen waste to be handled exclusively by authorized franchisees, who are obliged to employ specific technologies to prevent the production of "gutter oil."
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Additionally, the collection of kitchen waste will be optimized to support the development of clean energy, such as biodiesel and bio-aviation fuel.
The amendments are currently being drafted and are open for public comment. Interested parties and members of the public may submit their suggestions to the Shenzhen Municipal Justice Bureau by June 23.
Zhang Guoping, an associate researcher at the Shenzhen Academy of Social Sciences who is focusing on regional economics and urban governance, said that the city’s limited scale and rapid population growth create heavier pressure on urban governance than in other first-tier cities.
Meanwhile, the large number of foreign visitors — along with its leading role in China’s reform and opening up — has made it a calling card of the country’s openness to the world, which has further highlighted the significance of environmental protection.
Zhang said he believes that the substantial fine hike is primarily aimed as a deterrent. He expects that only in serious cases — such as throwing hazardous waste or dumping an unusually large amount that causes significant damage — would the maximum penalty be applied.
Along with increasing enforcement efforts, Shenzhen also plans to make it easier for residents to dispose of their trash. He believes this package of measures is well-designed and reflects the city’s institutional strengths.
Xu Fangbo, a landscape worker in Shenzhen, said he hoped that this initiative will effectively reduce litter in the city’s green belts and ease the pressure of their daily work.
He said that rubbish left in greenery strips has become a thorny issue for many cities.
Many people take advantage of the lack of supervision to act inconsiderately and litter, even when trash cans are just a few steps away. This is often the case with food delivery riders who stop to rest nearby.
He stressed that a beautiful environment requires the concerted efforts of the community. It is a pity that environmental deterioration is caused by residents’ lack of awareness, he added.
Chen Ziyu contributed to the story
