Press Release for Media Briefing of the Shanghai Municipal Government on June 2, 2026

2026.06.02

On the afternoon of June 2, the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality held a press briefing. Zhang Yuxin, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Municipal Government and director of the Shanghai Municipal Joint Conference Office for Domestic Waste Classification and Reduction, briefed the media on the Three-Year Action Plan (2026–2028) of Shanghai Municipality on Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Domestic Waste Classification. Zhang Lixin, deputy director of the Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau and deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Joint Conference Office for Domestic Waste Classification and Reduction, He Yingze, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Postal Administration, Zhang Bing, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Housing, and Peng Yanling, second-level inspector of the Shanghai Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau attended the briefing and answered questions from reporters.Since the implementation of the Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on Domestic Waste Management in 2019, Shanghai has made remarkable progress in waste classification through the concerted efforts of residents and the active participation of all sectors of society. Public awareness and sorting habits have become firmly established, a citywide classification and collection system has largely taken shape, resource recovery and utilization rates have continued to improve, and waste sorting has become a widely embraced “new social norm.” To consolidate these achievements, address remaining challenges, and support the city’s green and low-carbon transition, Shanghai has formulated the Action Plan in accordance with the arrangements of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Shanghai Municipal Government. Over the next three years, the city will roll out a package of targeted policies and measures aimed at further enhancing the effectiveness of domestic waste classification.I. Background and Key ConsiderationsThe Action Plan has been formulated with three primary objectives in mind. First, it aims to strengthen public participation in waste sorting and further improve classification outcomes. Efforts will focus on raising standards in residential communities with weaker property management services and addressing underperforming aspects of the sorting process. The city will enhance routine law enforcement and public compliance mechanisms, refine its evaluation framework, and maintain long-term management efforts to consolidate the gains achieved in separating household food waste and residual waste. Second, the Action Plan seeks to improve the recycling and resource recovery system by addressing existing shortcomings. Shanghai will further enhance the collection of low-value recyclables, optimize the collection, transportation and treatment of bulky waste, and build a fully traceable recycling system that is widely accessible, service-oriented and supportive of innovation, with a strong focus on public convenience and user experience. Third, the Action Plan aims to strengthen public engagement and deepen collaborative governance. Greater emphasis will be placed on the coordinating role of the Joint Conference for Domestic Waste Classification and Reduction, improving grassroots governance capacity, expanding public awareness campaigns and science education, and leveraging the role of volunteers. These efforts will help shift waste classification from a campaign-style approach toward a sustainable, long-term governance model.Against this backdrop, the Action Plan adopts a problem-oriented, goal-oriented and results-oriented approach, with a clear focus on enhancing quality and efficiency. It seeks to achieve new progress in waste-sorting performance, recycling and resource recovery systems, multi-stakeholder participation, and governance mechanisms.II. Key MeasuresThe Action Plan sets out four quantitative targets and 18 priority tasks to achieve its overarching objectives.First, it establishes clear targets. By 2028, Shanghai aims to further improve its domestic waste classification system across the entire collection, transportation and treatment chain. The share of separately collected food waste is expected to exceed 35%, while food waste purity is targeted at around 95%. The domestic waste recycling rate is set to surpass 48%, and low-value recyclables are expected to account for more than 25% of the total recyclable waste stream.Second, it promotes waste reduction at source. Measures include reducing the use of single-use plastics in key sectors, strengthening controls on disposable amenities in the hospitality industry, deepening efforts to curb food waste, and continuing the “Clean Plate Campaign.” The city will also encourage greener packaging design, tighten oversight of excessive packaging, accelerate the transition to environmentally friendly express-delivery packaging, and increase the procurement of recycled materials. By 2028, reusable packaging is expected to account for 14% of same-city express deliveries.Third, it seeks to improve the effectiveness of waste sorting. Shanghai will upgrade and make older waste collection points more user-friendly, standardize temporary collection facilities, and strengthen operation and maintenance mechanisms. The city will establish an early-warning and improvement system for sorting performance, refine flexible waste-disposal arrangements in residential communities, and promote more refined waste sorting practices in public venues. Efforts will also focus on innovation in waste collection, transportation and treatment technologies, as well as optimizing collection and transportation routes. In addition, Shanghai aims to achieve near-zero landfill disposal of incineration fly ash generated from domestic waste treatment.Fourth, it aims to strengthen the recycling and resource recovery system. Shanghai will reinforce the foundational framework for the guaranteed collection of low-value recyclables, improve integrated recycling models, establish incentive mechanisms to encourage public participation, and explore inclusive carbon-incentive programs. Operational standards for recycling enterprises will be introduced to strengthen industry regulation and standardization. The city will further enhance its municipal recyclable-materials service platform and develop a closed-loop, end-to-end management system that enables full traceability of recycling transactions and material flows. In addition, Shanghai will establish a comprehensive system for the collection, transportation and treatment of bulky waste, combining both paid and free services and aligning market-based operations with government-supported baseline services.Fifth, it seeks to deepen collaborative governance and public participation. The city will improve grassroots governance mechanisms and incorporate municipal domestic waste classification into Party building-led property management governance, implementing tailored solutions for individual residential communities. Public awareness campaigns will be strengthened, with targeted outreach to key groups, including migrant and transient populations, while waste classification education will continue to be integrated into school curricula and teaching activities. Greater efforts will also be made to expand volunteer participation, strengthen volunteer networks, and introduce innovative incentive and support measures. At the same time, enforcement and inspection efforts will be enhanced through closer coordination between regulatory and enforcement authorities, alongside the wider adoption of streamlined enforcement and rapid-response mechanisms.Sixth, it aims to improve governance and management mechanisms. Shanghai will further leverage the role of the municipal-level coordination mechanism and clarify responsibilities across municipal, district and township/subdistrict levels. Existing policy and funding support will be better utilized, while incentive policies for low-value recyclables will be further refined. The city will also deepen the application of digital technologies and accelerate the development of an integrated management platform. In addition, the evaluation framework will be optimized through the use of non-intrusive monitoring, online feedback channels and data-driven performance assessments, with a stronger focus on waste-sorting effectiveness and resource recovery outcomes.Domestic waste classification is a long-term undertaking that requires the participation of the entire community. Over the next three years, Shanghai will use the Action Plan as a roadmap to strengthen integrated governance, leverage technological innovation, and promote broad-based public participation. Through these efforts, the city will strive to remain at the forefront of waste classification and resource recovery in China, contributing to the development of a modern international metropolis where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. Shanghai also calls on all residents to continue supporting and actively participating in waste classification efforts. By working together, the city aims to further embed sustainable waste-sorting practices into everyday life and foster a lasting culture of environmental responsibility.