Why China’s Parents Are Bulk-Buying Recycling Waste Online

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Chinese schools are trying to teach kids to recycle by making them collect huge volumes of plastic waste every month. The result: a thriving online trade in used milk cartons. By Li Xin and Lin Liuhan On China’s e-commerce platforms, there is a booming new market for some seriously unusual items, from empty milk cartons to used pen refills. This thriving trade in plastic junk is being fueled by Chinese parents, who try to help their children complete their schools’ recycling projects — even though many are voluntary. As China seeks to prioritize environmental awareness in its education system, schools are increasingly setting students assignments designed to teach them good recycling habits. But these projects are sometimes harsh and inflexible. In some cases, schools are ordering each student to collect dozens, or even hundreds of items of used plastic every month. If they fail, it may affect their grades — and possibly their teacher’s performance assessment, too. The r ………………………………