An attempt at a circular economy

According to the China Association of Circular Economy (2023), in recent years, Hangzhou has been implementing a project to promote the circular economy and sustainable development in the city by collecting recyclables from the public. The government started by setting up several collection sites in various districts of the city. Residents who collect their recyclable waste individually from their homes or offices can use a mobile phone app to find the location of a local collection site and visit it. The staff at the sites will offer credits based on the type and amount of recyclables for citizens to exchange for goods.

 

This project is supposed to be feasible and could be part of a sustainable strategy. However, as the project is still in the experimental phase, only a few comments and recommendations can be made based on the limited information available on the internet:

 

l  The incentives for citizens may not be sufficient. The project transfers part of the responsibility for waste identification and delivery to individuals, which could reduce government expenditure. However, despite the fact that residents are rewarded with credits, there is still a disparity between effort and rewards. The project may therefore face failure when enthusiasm fades. It is recommended to upgrade the rewards or add other types of incentives.

 

l  Planning locations of sites appropriately. The distance to the recycling sites may discourage the public, while installing more sites may increase expenditure. Therefore consideration is required of the layout or availability of pick-up services in some areas.

 

l  Increase transparency. Residents may question the destination of recycled waste. Making the recycling process transparent can remove this doubt and may provide an incentive for citizens.