Beijing is determined to build a complete renewable resource recycling network in the years to come so that 30 percent of the trash in the city can be recycled before 2008.

In accordance with a plan regarding the promotion, standardization and construction of a renewable resource recycling network in the urban districts of Beijing, 1,800 recycling stations will be established in the eight urban districts of the city, of which 1,400 will be constructed in 2002 and 2003.

The plan has been developed jointly by nine departments of the Beijing Municipal Government, said local sources.

According to the sources, 56 new recycling trucks will be put into operation throughout the eight urban districts this year to replace the former fleet.

To promote the construction of a sound recycling network for renewable resources, Beijing will intensify efforts to sort trash and transform the practice into a systematic practice in 250 residential quarters. Varying amounts of subsidies, with the highest amounting to 60,000 yuan (about US$7,228), will be given to residential sectors which effectively implement the trash-sorting practice.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce will soon draw up a plan to establish markets for the collection and distribution of renewable resources in an effort to overcome the rather chaotic situation at present.

According to the plan, the city will build ten standardized renewable resource markets.

Statistics show that the urban districts of Beijing currently produce one million tons of trash each year, of which discarded paper accounts for 13.33 percent and waste glass 6.5 percent. Recycled paper is principally used for printing business cards, textbooks and postcards.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2002)