Municipal solid waste (MSW) classification is a national strategic objective and an important component of successful municipal solid waste management (MSWM). Some failures of pilot programs suggest that safeguarding measures are essential for MSW classification. A questionnaire survey of public awareness and attitudes toward MSW source-separated collection in Chongqing’s main districts was conducted, and the results indicated that the proportions of respondents willing to participate in MSW classification and provide money for it were 67.9% and 86.2%, respectively. The positive impacts of the overall-process management measures on promoting MSW classification in Chongqing’s main districts, including source-separated collection system, transportation system, treatment and disposal system, and environmental sanitation prevention system, were analyzed comprehensively. The analyses revealed that a 98% resident participation rate was obtained for MSW source-separated collection with the application of a cloud-based platform and traceability system. Moreover, the secondary transportation and comprehensive “4 + 1” (four waste incineration plants and one waste landfill) disposal mode showed significant advantages with respect to costs and environmental friendliness. In view of the environmental sanitation risks, the prevention and control of environmental sanitation were developed in Chongqing. The future prospects have also been discussed. The refinement and regionalization of source-separated collection are proposed as the possible solution.

The implementation of a metering and charging system for municipal solid waste (MSW) presents a promising policy avenue for source reduction. But few cities have applied the metering and charging system of MSW for residents in China. The aim of this study is to propose a metering and charging model of MSW for residents by taking Shanghai, a megacity expected to introduce the practice, as a case study. A metering and charging model of MSW for residents based on two-part tariff (MC-TPT) was proposed, which integrated the advantages of both fixed rate method and quantity-based method. The key parameters for MC-TPT model, as well as the economic feasibility were also considered. Results indicate that key parameters for MC-TPT model, including the average profit margin, average annual fixed cost and average annual operating cost, are estimated at 12%, 169.9 million RMB year ⁻¹ and 716.5 million RMB year ⁻¹ , respectively. The pricing structure of two-part tariff comprises a fixed fee of 17.8 RMB month ⁻¹ and a specific fee of 289.8 RMB (tonne·month) ⁻¹ . Furthermore, the study explores metering and charging criteria for MSW across five household population levels. Economic feasibility analyses reveal that, despite an increase in MSW disposal fees under the proposed scheme, the resulting relative charging rate remains within an acceptable range. This study contributes to the academic discourse on sustainable MSW management practices, particularly in the context of megacities like Shanghai.