Beijing launched its citywide household garbage sorting program on May 1.

The government, enterprises, residents and other parties should coordinate to build a long-term social mechanism to foster the habit of garbage sorting.

Given the difficulties ahead, the government needs to play a leading role in transforming the activity from industrial management to social governance.

Garbage sorting is a national quasi-public good, and the joint efforts of the government and the market can create an industrial chain that goes from classification to recycling. Thus, this environmental protection activity should also accord with economic law.

There is a huge market in such fields as garbage collection and transportation and kitchen waste disposal. This calls for simultaneous development between enterprise innovation and industrial development.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in People's Daily on May 20)    

(Print Edition Title: Garbage Sorting)