MANY cities in China have now started charging fees for the treatment of domestic waste.

In Beijing, the standard is set at around 3 yuan (US$0.36) a month for each household. In Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong Province, it is 5 yuan (US$0.6) a month. Currently the highest standard is in Zhuhai, a coastal tourism city in Guangdong Province, which charges around 8 yuan (US$0.96) a month for each household.

However, if the current standard proposed by the local government is approved, Shanghai will have the highest rubbish disposal fees in the country - more than 10 yuan (US$1.2) a month for each household.

In America the fee for rubbish treatment takes about 0.15 per cent to 0.3 per cent of a family's income. In Europe, in countries like Switzerland, Germany and Austria, the fee takes some 0.3 per cent of income. (Star News)