尽管中国垃圾焚烧处理能力大幅提升，但生活垃圾分类制度依然必要。截至2025年底，我国焚烧设施已达1137座，日处理能力达118万吨[1]，垃圾焚烧可将其体积减小约80%[1]。北京、浙江、山东等15省市已实现原生生活垃圾"零填埋"[1]。然而，焚烧过程中仍存在污染风险与资源浪费问题，分类管理对环保和资源节约的重要性不容忽视。
分类的必要性体现在多个方面。玻璃、金属、陶瓷等不可燃物会造成炉排磨损[1]，而厨余垃圾含水率高，热值仅接近焚烧厂允许的最低热值标准[1]，这些都要求源头分类以保障焚烧设施安全高效运行。此外，二噁英等有害物质必须在温度850摄氏度以上的炉膛中保持2秒以上才能完全分解[1]，这对焚烧条件提出了严格要求。国家层面已明确立场——《中华人民共和国生态环境法典》将于今年8月15日起施行，明确国家推行生活垃圾分类制度[1]。
China has significantly expanded its waste incineration infrastructure, with 1,137 incineration facilities now operational as of the end of 2025, capable of processing 1.18 million tons daily [1]. Fifteen provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Zhejiang, and Shandong, have achieved "zero landfilling" of raw household waste [1]. Despite this enhanced processing capacity, which reduces waste volume by approximately 80 percent, waste sorting continues to play a critical role in environmental protection and resource conservation [1].
The persistence of garbage classification requirements stems from both technical and regulatory considerations. Incineration plants require specific conditions to neutralize harmful pollutants: dioxins must be completely decomposed when exposed to temperatures above 850 degrees Celsius for at least 2 seconds [1]. Unsorted waste creates operational challenges, as non-combustible materials such as glass, metal, and ceramics cause grate wear, while food waste—which carries high moisture content—has calorific value barely meeting the minimum threshold acceptable for incineration facilities [1]. China's Ecological and Environmental Code, effective August 15 this year, explicitly mandates that the state implement a household waste sorting system [1].
Looking forward, experts advocate for a dual-framework approach combining unified national standards with localized differentiation, supported by intelligent technology to enhance sorting efficiency [1].