Researchers urge community-driven waste management ahead of China’s new packaging regulations

Hong Kong researchers have revealed the importance of stakeholder collaboration in enhancing household waste sorting practices in Chinese cities. By linking policy with grassroots participation, the study supports a more effective waste governance in alignment with China’s growing national emphasis on packaging recycling.

The study, published in Environment, Development and Sustainability, focuses on Changsha, a “new first-tier” city in Hunan province, and offers a practical framework for waste management reform grounded in collaborative governance.

Jiarong Hu, first author of the paper, tells Packaging Insights: “China’s national emphasis on degradable and reusable packaging reflects a shift toward systemic sustainability, and a series of sustainable policies has been established, but the success of these policies ultimately hinges on coherent execution and participation at the grassroots level.”

“Our study highlights the increasingly strategic role that residential communities play as intermediaries in local governance structures, particularly in the implementation of household waste sorting systems.” 

“In the context of China’s rapidly expanding e-commerce sector and the resulting surge in packaging waste, residential communities are uniquely positioned to act as both facilitators and enablers of behavioral change.”

Strengthening community engagement

Through a survey of 437 residents across 15 residential communities, researchers found that residents satisfied with the management measures by property companies were more inclined to participate in waste sorting and join rewarding or charging schemes.

Jiarong Hu, first author of the paper.Interviews also revealed a disconnect between the planning and implementation of waste sorting mechanisms among residents, property companies, and the government. 

“We underscore the need for a ‘co-governance network’ in which residential communities act as critical nodes that bridge policy intentions with on-the-ground practices. To integrate communities more effectively, first, there must be a clear policy translation,” says Hu.

“Governmental directives should be operationalized into community-specific programs, with actionable guidance on how residents can identify, separate, and dispose of different types of household waste. Training sessions, visual sorting guides, and app-based instructions can assist in closing the knowledge-behavior gap.” 

Bridging policy and grassroots

China’s new express delivery packaging regulation defines the responsibilities of government departments, enterprises, and consumers in promoting recycling initiatives. Hu highlights that communities are not passive recipients of policy, but active agents in the mitigation of packaging waste.

“Communities serve as logistical hubs that can lower the barriers to proper sorting by offering localized infrastructure, such as dedicated drop-off bins for packaging materials or scheduled pick-up services for recyclable waste.”

She notes that community-led initiatives, including volunteer waste educators, building representatives, or peer-monitoring programs, can also reinforce collective norms and enhance participation, particularly when paired with tangible incentives.Studies have found that in China, older generations are more willing to participate in waste sorting practices than younger citizens.

“Social dynamics within residential neighborhoods, such as trust, familiarity, and shared values, create fertile ground for the diffusion of pro-environmental behavior. When waste sorting becomes embedded in the everyday routines of residents through community-level reinforcement, its impact scales far beyond what top-down mandates alone can achieve,” Hu explains.

Promoting local solutions

The study suggests that its findings could be applicable to other fast-developing cities in China, such as Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Suzhou, which share similar economic and social structures. 

Hu explains that the co-governance model could empower communities to mobilize localized knowledge, social capital, and trust networks to reinforce waste sorting behaviors at the household level.

“Communities thrive when there is clarity around who does what. Community committees can coordinate awareness campaigns, residents are responsible for compliance, and local governments can monitor performance and provide feedback loops.” 

“Communities should be empowered as innovation platforms. By piloting circular systems, such as packaging return stations, diverse incentives for reusing delivery boxes, or partnerships with courier companies for materials recovery, communities can become testing grounds for scalable, policy-aligned solutions,” she concludes.