“By means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and recovery”
There is often a misapprehension that being zero waste lies solely on the responsibility of the individual. Though this has gained the greatest visibility online, minimising waste isn’t just about managing resources produced at the individual consumer stage – that is, after making the purchase – but importantly, addressing waste must incorporate solutions that target the process of manufacturing all the way to the end life of a product (i.e. disposal).
To be successful, the movement can not and should not rest only on the consumer. Governments and business are equally, if not more, responsible for the amount of waste that’s going to our trash bins and eventually, our environment. Governments and big businesses dictate what products are made available and how they are made accessible to the individual consumer.
Government bodies chiefly helm nationwide disposal system. In other words, what is eventually recovered (i.e. recycled) into usable products for sale and what goes into landfills as general waste. Nonetheless, there are other means governments can exert its influence on waste management. One way governments can do so is by legislating product bans across the nation, for both businesses and citizens to adhere to. Though an effective means of eradicating a substantial source of waste, governments must consider what fills the gap that the banned product originally provided and consequently, whether this alternative is truly more environmentally friendly (think plastic vs metal straws). Another more common way is to provide incentives and disincentives to minimise one’s waste. For instance, Singapore recently commissioned the Recycle N Save initiative to encourage citizens to practice proper recycling.
Business ranging from factories and supply chain distributors to groceries and clothings stores are influencing our consumption of resources because they are directly involved in the production of the kinds of products made available on the shelf. In recent years, many businesses have opted for materials made of plastic because they are cheap and easy to manufacture. This has led to the unprecedented 200-fold growth in the industry since the 1950s (chart below taken from Our World in Data). With this growth came also an increase in plastic waste generation.
| Conservation of resources | Products, packaging, and materials |