what is the process of recycling in Shanghai?

Current Main Ways of disposing trash:

• reprocess/recycling, compilation, and incineration

Problem

• Trash in Shanghai
  • in 2005, Shanghai’s production of every day trash is 16.32 thousand tons/ day
  • 2010, the production of every day trash is 18.01 thousand tons/ day
  • in 2015, shanghai has produced a total amount of 789.87 million tons (21.64 thousand tons/day)

• Dumping Sites/Land Filling
  • main solution of trash disposal in Shanghai
  • 5 dumping sites in Shanghai（Laogang fourth, Laogang fifth, Chongming, Liming, Changxing）processes 7750t/d
  • Laogang upholds 34 million tons of trash that was collected over a span of 20 years
  • takes up a lot of space
  • high risk of contamination of surrounding land and water
  • gives off methane when decomposed

• Trash incineration
  • During the process of incineration, the waste material that is treated is converted in to IBM, gases, particles and heat.
  • These products are later used for generation of electricity.
  • This means that incineration however, does not replace the need for landfilling but it reduced the amount to be thrown in it.
  • causes radiation around the area, and it is advised to stay away from these areas.
  • Incineration plants
    • Shanghai has 8 incineration plants (Jiangqiao, Jinshan, Laogang yiqi, Fengxian, Songjiang, Chongming, Yuqiao, Liming)
    • The Shanghai Jiangqiao MSW Incineration Plant, considered the biggest incineration plant in Asia,
    • – incinerates 3000 tons of trash every day
    • not eco-friendly
    • causes people living around the area to contract lymph cancer
  • Arguments supporting incinerations:
  • The first concern for incineration stands against its injurious effects over health due to production of furans and dioxin emission. However, the emission is controlled to greater extent by developing of modern plants and governmental regulations.
  • Incineration plants are capable for producing energy and can substitute power generation plants of other sort.
  • The bottom ash after the process is completed is considered non-injurious that still is capable for being land filled and recycled.
  • Fine particles are removable by processing through filters and scrubbers.
  • Treating and processing medical and sewage waste produces non-injurious ash as product.
  • Arguments against incinerations:
  • Extremely injurious matter needs adequate disposing off. This requires additional miles and need special locations for land filling this material.
  • Although after a lot of regulations and restrictions and developments concerns are still alive about emission of furans and dioxins.
  • Incinerating plants are producers of heavy metals, which are injurious even in minor amounts.
  • IBA is consistent over a considerably high level of heavy metals and can prove fatal if they are not disposed off or reused properly.
  • Initial investment costs are only recovered through long periods of contract for incinerating plants.
  • Local communities always have opposed the presence of incinerating plant in the locality.
  • The upheld view is to recycle, reuse and waste reduction instead of incineration.
• Reprocessed/recycled Trash
  • Shanghai aims to become an environmentally friendly city by including plans to step up the processing and recycling of green waste like fallen leaves, mown grass and dead tree branches.
  • The city’s parks, greenbelts, roadside trees and residential complexes generate about 600,000 tons of organic waste a year. The city wants to compost and mulch the waste for recycled use in parklands and greenbelts, according to the Shanghai Greenery Management Station, an arm of the Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau. Some of the waste can be turned into biofuel.
  • 上海君赐废旧物资回收有限公司
  • collects trash at low price, and reprocess the trash so they can sell the reusable materials to people.

Where does the trash in SAS go?

• The food waste gets taken out by trucks everyday
• all trash that is thrown into the white trash bins are processed the same way and sold to one vender assigned by the Chinese government
• the trash is either compiled or incinerated
• only the paper thrown into the recycled bins and the bottles thrown in the bottles recycling bins are actually being recycled.
• the vender empties recycled paper bins every week, and buys the recycled paper from the school.
• trash thrown into the general bins are not being recycled.
• wastefulness is a big problem in our school, there are always foods left half-eaten, half-emptied bottles thrown away, and single-sided paper that gets wasted because we are not aware of the damage they do to our community.

What will the recycle bins improve?

• separates trash so the school can efficiently recycle paper, bottles, cans etc.
• promote recycling so the school will be more eco-friendly
• helps students and faculty to understand the meaning of what it takes to be a green school