Shanghai plans to issue the standard of garbage disposal fee by the end of this year, and will select some areas to promote the charge as a trial, Oriental Morning Post reported yesterday.

The trial will most likely be carried out in Pudong, Yangpu and Xuhui districts, as the three districts are now discussing the charge scheme.

An official from Yangpu Environment Development Co Ltd said Yangpu District plans to charge 5 yuan (63 US cents) per household a month in older neighborhoods, and 6 yuan in newer neighborhoods.

"The fee may be levied on migrant residents per capita, which hasn't been decided yet," the official said.

Pudong New Area plans to charge the garbage disposal fee according to quantity, the sanitation bureau said. The district may also sell garbage bags to residents at a higher price instead of the garbage disposal fee.

Xuhui authority said the charge is still under discussion and they haven't decided when the trial promotion will begin.

(Shanghai Daily September 7, 2006)