How Has Shanghai Built a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System Through 30 Years of Socio-Ecological Practice?
Publication Date
8-13-2026
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Socio Ecological Practice Research
DOI
10.1007/s42532-026-00264-1
Abstract
Municipal waste management, widely recognized as a complex problem involving environmental, social, economic, and governance issues, has long received extensive attention from governments, academia, and the public. Since the late twentieth century, Shanghai has undergone a three-decade transformation in municipal solid waste management, evolving from small-scale classification pilots to a citywide system integrating source separation, category-specific collection, diversified treatment, and multi-stakeholder governance. This paper explores Shanghai’s long-term socio-ecological practice, including “cognition and action”, “trial-and-error mending”, and “reflection and adaptability” to show how repeated piloting, policy refinement, infrastructure expansion, interagency coordination, community participation, and adaptive adjustment jointly shaped this transformation. This provides new insights into urban governance and identifies transferable implications for cities pursuing effective waste management and low-waste transitions.
Funding Number
22dz1209000
Funding Sponsor
Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality
Keywords
Cognition and action, Reflection and adaptability, Shanghai, Socio-ecological practice, Waste classification, Waste management
Department
Urban and Regional Planning
Recommended Citation
Xiangyu Ren, Kgosietsile Velempini, Jun Tai, Bitian Fu, and Yue Che. "How Has Shanghai Built a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System Through 30 Years of Socio-Ecological Practice?" Socio Ecological Practice Research (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-026-00264-1
