Qingpu District has stepped up promotion of waste classification, with household performance rated and incentives and punishments introduced ahead of Shanghai's first garbage regulations taking effect in July.

Residents at Xuyao Village in Chonggu Town are already active in sorting garbage. The village uses a green account scheme under which points acquired by dumping garbage into the right bins can be redeemed for daily necessities.

"At first many residents, particularly the elderly, were unwilling to sort garbage," said Xu Guojun, Party secretary of the village.