有效行動起來，培養垃圾分類的好習慣。Taking effective action, developing good sorting habits.
世界正在被無窮無盡的垃圾掩埋吞噬，這是當今時代面臨的最為嚴峻的挑戰之一，因為垃圾不僅汙染環境，而且嚴重危害公眾健康。據世界銀行去年發布的題為「What a Waste 2.0」的報告，全球每年產生的城市固體廢物(MSW)約為20.1億噸，若目前的狀況持續惡化，預計到2050年，這一數字將激增70%。
The World is drowning in growing piles of rubbish with no end in sight. This is one of the most daunting challenges of current times, as it not only pollutes the environment but also impacts public health severely. According to last year's report by The World Bank named "What a Waste 2.0", approximately 2.01 billion metric tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is produced globally per year and this figure is expected to surge by 70 percent by 2050 if current conditions continue unabated.
此外，僅2016年，全球垃圾就產生了16億噸二氧化碳和其他有害氣體(幾乎佔全球排放量的5%)。據估計，到2050年，這一數字將飆升至近26億噸，給環境帶來巨大災難。該報告進一步指出，目前只有13.5%的垃圾進行了回收，5.5%的垃圾用於堆肥。
Additionally, waste generated worldwide in 2016 produced a whopping 1.6 billion metric tons (almost 5 percent of global emissions) of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. That figure is further estimated to soar to almost 2.6 billion metric tons by 2050, which will be catastrophic for the environment. The report further stated that only 13.5 percent of waste is recycled and currently just 5.5 percent is composted.
另外，全球33%至40%的垃圾未得到合理處置，被隨意丟棄或露天焚燒。
Moreover, 33-40 percent of waste generated worldwide is not treated appropriately, but rather discarded or burned in open spaces.
中國面臨的垃圾壓力
Waste Garbage Pressure in China
值得注意的是，「垃圾產生」也是中國面臨的最大挑戰之一。生態環境部警告稱，家庭產生的垃圾總量已經達到臨界水平，並且每年仍在以驚人的速度增長。
Notably, the 'waste generation' has been one of the biggest challenges for China as well. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment warned that the amount of household rubbish generated has reached an unsustainable level and is still proliferating at an overwhelming rate every year.
尤其值得關注的是，中產階級的迅速壯大、電子商務的蓬勃發展、餐飲外賣行業的繁榮拉動了消費增長，導致生活垃圾激增，令人擔憂。
Particularly, the rapid increase in household waste as a result of growing consumption by a surging middle class and burgeoning e-commerce and food delivery industries is a source for concern.
▲ 一份外賣包括塑料包裝和一次性餐具。
A takeaway includes plastic packaging and disposable tableware.
大量的垃圾廢物已逐漸超出填埋區和焚化場的容量，垃圾處理場不堪重負。
The resulting huge amount of waste has been gradually surpassing the capacities of landfills and incinerators, putting pressure on their ability to accommodate it.
例如2018年，僅上海每天產生的生活垃圾就將近2.6萬噸。此外，對於中國的垃圾回收行業來說，處理大量外賣包裝、紙板箱和塑膠袋的難度與日俱增，其中大部分垃圾最終被焚燒、掩埋或丟棄。
For instance, Shanghai alone generated almost 26,000 tons of household waste every day in 2018. Additionally, China's recycling industry is finding it difficult to keep pace with the vast amount of takeout containers, cardboard boxes and plastic bags, with the majority of this waste ending up being burned, buried or discarded.
據一項由深圳大學和密西根大學聯合開展的題為「中國大城市餐飲外賣業產生的包裝垃圾」的研究，2017年，中國餐飲外賣行業產生的包裝垃圾高達近160萬噸，其中包括約120萬噸的塑料容器、17.5萬噸一次性筷子、16.4萬噸塑膠袋和4.4萬噸塑料湯匙。
According to a joint study by researchers at Shenzhen University and the University of Michigan named "Packaging waste from food delivery in China's megacities", the online food delivery business in China generated almost 1.6 million tons of packaging waste in 2017, which included approximately 1.2 million tons of plastic containers, 175,000 tons of disposable chopsticks, 164,000 tons of plastic bags, and 44,000 tons of plastic spoons.
如何解決垃圾問題？
How to Solve the Problem?
在過去20年裡，為遏制這個日益惡化的現象，中國嘗試了不同的方法。2000年，中國政府首次在北京、上海、廣州、深圳、杭州等8個主要城市開展了垃圾分類試點工程。
Over the last two decades, China has tried different ways to put checks on this mounting issue. In the year 2000 for the first time, the Chinese government commenced a pilot garbage sorting program in eight major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.
這項工程開展得很早，但進展卻很緩慢。2017年，中國政府頒布《生活垃圾分類制度實施方案》，希望到2020年底規範垃圾分類標準體系。
The campaigns were carried out for a lengthy amount of time but progress was made at a snail’s pace. In 2017, an additional plan was formulated to standardize the regulations for rubbish sorting by 2020.
該方案旨在將46個試點城市的垃圾回收率提高到35%。在該方案宣布後的三個月，住房和城鄉建設部下令要求城市對垃圾進行分類，並建立基本垃圾分類方案。
This plan aimed to improve the recycling waste of 46 pilot cities to 35 percent. Three months after the announcement of the plan, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development insisted cities classify their waste and build a basic sorting program.
垃圾分類計劃也引起了國家領導人的重視。國家主席習近平在6月3日的講話中，強調了垃圾分類的重要性，並號召人民樹立垃圾分類的生活習慣。他指出，要通過廣泛教育和督促引導工作，讓更多人有效行動起來，培養垃圾分類的好習慣，一起來努力改善生活環境。
This sorting program recently got further momentum when it caught the attention of the country's top leaders including President Xi Jinping, who in his speech on June 3 emphasized the importance of the program and stressed that the people of China must develop waste sorting habits. He also pointed out that comprehensive education and guidance would be provided to the public in order to equip them in taking effective action, developing good sorting habits, and building a better living environment.
▲ 2018年8月16日，一名兒童在浙江省安吉縣港口村扔垃圾。(圖片/新華)
A child dumps waste in Gangkou Village of Anji County, east China's Zhejiang Province, August 16, 2018. (Photo/Xinhua)
垃圾分類關乎每一個人
Sorting Garbage Links to Everyone
根據該計劃，北京、上海、廣州和深圳等試點城市的居民需要將生活垃圾分為四類：可回收垃圾、有害垃圾、廚餘垃圾和其他垃圾。
Under the program, residents from the pilot cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, need to sort their household waste into four separate categories: recyclable, hazardous, household food, and residual waste.
此外，其中一些城市還對不遵守規定的居民實施懲罰。這些懲罰包括罰款，或者扣減違規者的個人信用分。(編者按：社會信用體系旨在強調誠信光榮，失信可恥)
Additionally, a few of these cities have decided to invoke penalties to residents in case they fail to follow the rules. These penalties could be in the form of money or a deduction to their personal credit score (Editor's note: Social credit system aims to emphasize that keeping trust is glorious and breaking trust is disgraceful).
▲ 在中國南部廣東省深圳市鹽田區，一名工作人員正在整理廢棄家具。(圖片/新華)
File photo shows a staff worker sorts waste furniture in Yantian District of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Photo/Xinhua)
例如，上海市政府決定對未能正確分類垃圾的居民處以50至200元的罰款，對違章企業處以最高5萬元的罰款。
For instance, the Shanghai Municipal government has decided to impose fines of between 50 to 200 yuan for residents and up to 50,000 yuan for companies who fail to sort their rubbish correctly.
為了激勵居民正確分類垃圾，北京市政府還推出了一款「綠色帳戶」應用。西安也發布了規定，將垃圾分類與個人徵信掛鈎。為進一步響應垃圾分類項目，北京已在學校、醫院、旅遊景點和酒店展開垃圾分類的相關計劃。該計劃將從7月1日起在所有試點城市全面實施，並將在2020年前在全國範圍內推廣。
In order to motivate residents, the city's municipal government has also launched a "Green Account" app, which aims to incentivize residents on proper waste sorting. Xi』an in Shaanxi Province too has released a mandate through which it has made waste sorting part of an individual's personal credit score. Following a similar course of action, Beijing has also decided to commence with waste sorting programs in schools, hospitals, tourist spots, and hotels. The programs will be fully implemented from July 1 in all pilot cities and will be further extended nationwide by 2020.
在國內外打贏垃圾治理攻堅戰
Fighting Waste Domestically and Globally
為遏制固體廢物急劇增長，打贏垃圾治理攻堅戰，中國還頒布規範，控制外來垃圾入境。2018年，中國開展「國門利劍」聯合專項行動，限制中國進口商購買24種固體廢物。此外，該行動還將纖維廢料和進口塑料的汙染標準從1.5%提高到0.5%。
As part of its ongoing fight against spiralling quantities of solid waste in the country, China has also undertaken action against external sources of rubbish by regulating incoming waste from other countries. In 2018, the country enacted a "National Sword Policy", under which it restricted Chinese importers from buying 24 kinds of solid waste. In addition, it also tightened the provisions on contamination standards for fibre waste and imported plastic from 1.5 percent to 0.5 percent.
▲ 廣州海關啟動「國門利劍2018」聯合專項行動，重點打擊「洋垃圾」、象牙等瀕危物種、農產品、重點應稅商品、槍枝及毒品走私。（圖片/中新社）
Guangzhou customs launched the joint special action of "sword 2018 in China's border", focusing on combating the smuggling of "foreign garbage", ivory and other endangered species, agricultural products, key taxable commodities and firearms and drugs. (Photo/China News)
在此之前，中國進口的廢紙和廢塑料佔世界總量的比例巨大，2017年佔近50%，2016年中國從美國進口的垃圾約為142萬噸。然而，隨著2018年政策的實施，進入中國的垃圾總量在第一年下降了99.1%。早在2008年，中國就已經限制零售商店為顧客免費提供0.025毫米的塑膠袋，以大幅度降低塑料垃圾的消耗量。
Prior to this policy, China was responsible for importing a large percentage of the world’s waste paper and scrap plastic, accounting for almost 50 percent in 2017 and approximately 1.42 million tons of such waste from the U.S. in 2016 alone. However, following the implementation of the 2018 policy, the volume of incoming waste shipments dropped by 99.1 percent in its first year. Earlier, in 2008, the country had already restrained retail outlets from giving 0.025 millimetre plastic bags for free in order to significantly restrict the usage of this prevalent form of litter.
從長遠看，垃圾分類計劃若貫徹落實，可以產生顯著成果。例如，如果將廚房中的溼垃圾分開處理，每天每家每戶產生的垃圾總量可以顯著減少，也將降低運輸難度，節省額外的空間和成本。
Moving ahead, a well-implemented waste sorting program could produce fruitful results. For instance, the overall weight of household trash collected on a daily basis could reduce significantly if wet waste from kitchens are packed separately. This will make transportation easier with additional savings in space making it more economical.
此外，對其他垃圾進行適當的分類可以提高回收的總比例。每天進行垃圾分類也會幫助居民養成良好的「綠色」習慣，並培養環保的生活方式。家庭垃圾分類是讓公民承擔社會責任的重要一步，也是應對垃圾問題的關鍵，但中國要成為綠色經濟體依然任重道遠。然而，俗話說，「在正確的方向上邁出的每一小步都很重要」，家庭垃圾分類的最新舉措似乎是朝著這個積極的方向邁出的可喜一步。
Additionally, the appropriate sorting of other forms of waste could improve the percentage of recycling overall. Moreover, performing rubbish sorting on a daily basis will also help residents to cultivate good 'green' habits and adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Although household rubbish sorting is an important step in making citizens accountable and part of the solution, there is still a long way to go before China realizes its dream of becoming a green economy. However, as the saying goes, 'every small step in the right direction counts' and the latest initiative of household rubbish sorting seems like a welcome move in this positive direction.
拉查娜·古普塔（Rachana Gupta ）
是聚焦中國的專欄作家和Ezine Articles 專欄專家，也是一名活躍的博主和詩人。
Rachana Gupta is a China Focus columnist, an expert author of Ezine Articles and an active blogger and poetry writer.
編輯 / 託馬斯·斯格貝爾、董翎依
圖片 / 網絡
美編 / 高銘