Haimen in Nantong in eastern Jiangsu province has been making great strides in refuse sorting and recycling -- with more waste sorting pilot depots added and the latest technology utilized to help, according to local media reports.

The Haimen Garbage Sorting Center was established in April. It currently has eight staff members, two recycling vehicles and related garbage sorting equipment.

Officials said the center is clean, tidy and not smelly, making it different from what people think of waste centers. All the recyclables are classified into different categories -- including paper, metal, fabric and hazardous waste -- in separate areas.

“Since the establishment of the 300-square-meter garbage sorting center, Haimen’s waste sorting work has had a new beginning,” said Sun Bin, a staff member at the center.

“In the past, citizens were reluctant to do garbage sorting because they felt that after the garbage was sorted and recycled, it was not disposed well and the value of regeneration and reuse was not reflected,” he said.

“Now it is completely different."

At present, there are 117 garbage sorting pilot depots in the city, including 17 at community centers, 46 at schools, 28 at government organs and 26 in hotels, malls, supermarkets as well as in companies. Of these, 17 community center depots have employed smart refuse classification equipment.

“Every day, we send inspectors to recycle the garbage collected at the 117 pilot depots and then classify the recyclables,” another official said.

Because of the summer vacation, the amount collected in July and August will be less, totaling about 700 kilograms a day, but will increase when the school term starts.

For example, new books will be donated and other recyclables will be collected by resource recycling companies.

In addition to the classification of garbage, the center is also undertaking other work, including publicity and raising the public’s awareness of the need to sort refuse.

“We have carried out a lot of publicity activities into the community, in companies and in schools,” said staff member Sun Bin.

“The purpose is to allow more people to understand the importance of garbage classification.”