Background: On the afternoon of June 3, Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), attended the International Special Event of AI and Green Development in Yizhuang, Beijing, and a branch of the Global Green Design Conference. Secretary-General Zhou Jinfeng congratulated Yizhuang Development Zone in April 2019 as the national pilot for the construction of "waste-free cities". Based on this, what is a waste-free city? And how to build a waste-free city? 

1. What is a waste-free city?

"Waste-free city" is a new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, open and sharing. It is also an advanced urban management concept that promotes the formation of green development mode and lifestyle, continuously promotes the reduction of solid waste and resource utilization, minimizes landfill and the impact of solid waste on the environment. The pilot project of "waste-free city" construction is a concrete action to implement the decision-making and deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. It is powerful to deepen the comprehensive management of solid waste and promote the construction of "waste-free society" at the overall level of the city. It is also an important measure to promote ecological civilization and build a beautiful China.

2. The Present Situation of Urban Waste in China

China is the most populous country in the world and produces the largest amount of solid waste. It adds about 10 billion tons of solid waste every year, and the total amount of historical data storage is as high as 60 billion to 70 billion tons. Solid waste has high intensity and insufficient utilization. The problem of "garbage siege" in some cities is very prominent. According to the National Annual Report on the Prevention and Control of Solid Waste Pollution in Large and Medium Cities published by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in December 2018, the output of industrial solid waste in large and medium cities is 1.31 billion tons, that of industrial hazardous waste is 40.101 million tons, that of medical waste is 781,000 tons, and that of domestic waste is as high as 20.944 million tons.

3. How to Build a Waste-free City? 

1) we should strengthen the leadership of top-level design and give full play to the macro-guidance of the government.

2) The implementation of green production in industry, and we will promote zero growth in the total volume of industrial solid waste storage and disposal.

3) we should promote green agricultural production and the full utilization of agricultural wastes.

4) we should advocate a green lifestyle and promote the reduction and resource utilization of domestic waste.

5) Enhance the ability of risk prevention and control and strengthen the comprehensive safety management and control of hazardous wastes.

6) To stimulate the vitality of the main market and form a new model of industrial development.

4. Case Study on the Construction of "Waste-free City"

If it is a city with the prosperous tourism industry, we must take into account the sustainable tourism of air and sea transport, green design, small wetlands, biodiversity, encouraging bird watching, etc. If it is a city with developed exhibition industry, we must consider the indicators of the green exhibition, such as not drink bottled water, plastic reduction, garbage classification, focusing on the development of the circular economy. For an ecological city, we should also consider the idea of street lighting, light pollution reduction, energy consumption reduction, and the formation of a spatial pattern of resource conservation and environmental protection; in landscape planning, we should consider delimiting a certain amount of wilderness without disturbance; It is particularly important to incorporate ecological civilization education into the biodiversity indicators of green schools. On the issue of urban greening, we should take into account the biodiversity conservation, environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. New greening projects must take into account the local adaptability and biodiversity of tree species. Such as, ecological civilization must be characterized by the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/8837.html

By / Li Xue