Xie says that waste, which can be processed into fertilizer, should be 100 percent kitchen waste - plastic or toilet waste should not be included.

"Unfortunately, the majority of household waste in China is still mixed waste," he says.

He also says that the majority of residential communities do not have the resources to copy Dacheng Alley's management system, pointing out that half of its residents are retired teachers who have a lot of spare time.

"They even have a team of four people who check garbage bins every two to three hours and correct the mistakes if they see any," says Xie, who adds that hiring more hands to help residents recycle garbage is not feasible due to China's large population and its massive amounts of garbage.

"The country desperately needs a whole system including regulation, education and special funds in this field. The government needs to do more than just offering free categorized garbage bins and posters," he says.