Dragon Recycling | 2018 Program Review

Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on the Management of Domestic Waste (the main content is issued in Chinese) was passed in the Second Session of the Fifteenth Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress on January 31, 2019, and will come into force on July 1, 2019. Previously, Shanghai has promulgated Plans for the Implementation of the Establishment and Improvement of Complete Domestic Waste Classification System in Shanghai (2018), Action Plan of Building a Complete Domestic Waste Classification System in Shanghai (2018-2020), and other policy recommendations regarding the classification of waste. The establishment of related policies and regulations will effectively help Shanghai achieve its goal of waste classification and reduction, and the construction of a green and low-carbon city.

** Currently the domestic wastes are separated into compostable waste, recyclable waste, poisonous waste and other waste.

Aiming at educating the public, leading Shanghai Roots & Shoots’ volunteers to devote themselves to building a green community, motivating young people to actively participate in environmental protection, and powering communities in the recycling and reuse of resources as well as the construction of ecological civilization, Shanghai Roots & Shoots initiated Dragon Recycling – a program focusing on the advocacy and education of environmental protection in communities – in 2018, in an effort to build a platform of community service for young people and to promote a green and low-carbon lifestyle in communities.

The goals of the Dragon Recycling program are:

• To educate the public on how to recycle used or abandoned stuff through interactive activities (e.g. community lectures and Recycling Day), in order to promote environmental-friendly lifestyle;
• To create an opportunity to recycle, reuse and reduce;
• To call upon the public to avoid over-packaging, live a greener life, and reducing burden on the environment.

In 2018, Dragon Recycling held 4 rounds of volunteer interview and 1 volunteer training session (in May), recruiting a total of 29 volunteers who would be teaching in Community Green Classes as Community Green Mentors. Besides, Dragon Recycling opened 9 Green Classes and launched 6 Community Recycling Day in 6 communities:

•  Yingchun Community and Xin’an Community in Jiading District,
•  Yikang Community in Jing’an District,
•  Haixi Community and  Zhongshan Dongyilu Community in Huangpu District,
• and Hongmei Xinyuan Community in Minhang District.

Dragon Recycling was also invited into 2 neighborhoods in Jing’an District and Yangpu District, and 2 schools (Shanghai Experimental School International Division, Shanghai Shangde Experimental School) to give lectures on community or campus waste classification.

Dragon Recycling received extensive support from citizens in 2018. The details of the recycling of used stuff are as follows:

• June 2 –  24.2 kilograms of e-waste and 73 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging;
• July 29 – 110 kilograms of e-waste (i.e. 163 items), 84 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging, 161 items of garments and 16.44 kilograms of expired medicine;
• September 7 –  7.85 kilograms of e-waste, 87 items of garments and 2.54 kilograms of expired medicine;
• September 20 – 3.68 kilograms of e-waste, 73 items of garments, 20 pairs of shoes, 8 items of luggage and bags, 6 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging and 0.29 kilograms of expired medicine;
• September 20 – 5.5 kilograms of e-waste, 258 items of garments, 14 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging and 12.71 kilograms of expired medicine;
• October 21 – 13.39 kilograms of e-waste, 321 items of garments, 6 pairs of shoes, 19 items of soft toys, 39 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging and 12.71 kilograms of expired medicine;
• November 17 – 42 items of garments and 14 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging;
• December 16 – 4.5 kilograms of e-waste, 248 items of garments, 20 items of used toothbrushes, toothpastes along with their packaging and 2.91 kilograms of expired medicine.

In 2018, totally 236 young volunteers devoted themselves to various activities of the program and contributed 1150 hours of volunteer service time. Apart from the active participation and contribution of the volunteers and the residents,  Jiading Bureau of Environmental Protection, the United Front Work Department of Huangpu and Huaxin Haixin Mansion Property Management Company also gave great support to the program. Dragon Recycling received sponsorship from Shanghai Charity Foundation and China Environmental Protection Foundation in 2018.