(ECNS ) -- China's capital city of Beijing is to pilot a bonus scheme starting from next year to reward citizens who practice their own garbage sorting.
According to the Beijing Times, the project will employ QR code technology. More than a million residents in 350 communities can set up accounts after scanning barcodes on garbage bins at dump sites. Each of the registered users will be offered a package containing a manual, an ID card and a bundle of QR code stickers linked to their own accounts.
Participants are encouraged to sort and pack their garbage into different categories, put a sticker on each package, and then dump them into the right bins. Data from these packages will be recorded by garbage collectors and converted into bonuses for participants. For example, a plastic bottle is worth 5 points, while a kilogram of newspapers is worth 100 points. The bonuses can redeem rewards ranging from shopping cards, mobile phone top-ups or cash.
The city government also plans to launch a retrieval mechanism for bulky objects such as used furniture and home appliances. Residents can apply for collection services through Wechat.
