Two girls use a smart dustbin with the help of a mobile app in Zhoushan. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Thirty-two new smart dustbins in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, have helped nearly 10,000 people sort and collect garbage since January 2019.

Over the past seven months, the dustbins received 120,000 plastic bottles, 8,000 glass bottles, 63 metric tons of paper, and 33 tons of fabric.

The dustbins, made using intelligent technologies, are easy to operate. Residents can scan the QR code or use the facial recognition technology to start the collection process and then deposit their waste according to the sorting rules.

The dustbins are also equipped with GPS positioning, capacity monitoring and other functions. The garbage will be sorted for a second time to ensure accuracy.

Many local residents have become accustomed to the new rules, but there are still some who struggle, which makes things more difficult for those who have to correct these sorting errors, said Zhao Yi, head of the management team of the smart dustbins.

Zhao added that they will set up more smart dustbins in Zhoushan, especially in schools, office buildings, residence communities and so on, and help the city build its own featured garbage sorting system.