The National Development and Reform Commission released guidelines on innovating and improving the price mechanism on Friday aimed at promoting green development. The document advances a new policy of charging for solid waste processing as a means of reducing the amount of waste generated. This is the first time the government has advanced a fee for garbage disposal based on weight.

The document requires actively promoting reform of the urban domestic garbage disposal charge, with waste charged by weight, and nonclassified garbage charged at a higher price.

China faces a great challenge in disposing of waste. The urban garbage exceeds 200 million tons every year according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's statistics, and according to Liu Jianguo, a professor at the School of Environment, Tsinghua University, when rural waste is included the amount of garbage produced in the country probably exceeds 400 million tons every year.

The document further clarifies building a nationwide solid waste disposal charging mechanism that fully covers the cost and allows reasonable profit for waste processing companies. Mechanisms to encourage garbage classification, waste minimization and garbage treatment should be established, and the hazardous waste disposal system should be improved.

Garbage charged by weight is of great significance to promote garbage classification, save resources, protect the environment and improve people's living environment, according to the document.