China collected 215 million tons of urban household waste in 2017, up from 153 million ten years earlier, according to the 2017 China Statistical Yearbook.

As a result, China has been getting tough on waste since then. Shenzhen, my city known as an innovation hub with a population of over 10 million in the Southern China, is leading the way. Local authorities have been pioneering various garbage sorting initiatives for years and recently vowed to recycle all household waste following the new regulation.

Currently, Shenzhen classifies waste into four categories, namely recyclable, kitchen, hazard, and others, which is consistent with the new national garbage sorting standard. Because of its significant quantity and the associated pollution risks, local authorities have prioritized kitchen waste and assigned special supervisors to make sure residents dispose of it properly. For failing to do so, individuals and entities could face fines up to 5,000 yuan (about $729).

However, there exists a challenge with kitchen waste disposal. With a yearly average temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, Shenzhen must find solutions to the food leftovers in the garbage bin that can't be kept long in there.

Any ideas for Shenzhen?