William Morris is currently a Research Manager at Collective Responsibility, a dynamic management consultancy specializing in innovation and sustainability where he manages a team of analysts to carry out extensive research for projects involving qualitative and quantitative research while interviewing key stakeholders within industries to develop understanding and report insights. He is also the founder of ThinkNeutral, an experimental group of people from different horizons bringing together a wide range of skill sets to cocreate, codesign and coproduce projects that can lead to a more sustainable, conscious and digitally mature business eco-system.
William holds a Bachelors degree in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, and a Masters in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London.
In this presentation William shares his extensive experience researching various kinds of waste in China, key insights, challenges, and more importantly, opportunities for both individuals and businesses to reduce their waste.
11. Shanghai C & D – An Urban Mine
Building Destruction
Huanwei
(Government Contractor)
Large Collection Point
Informal Entrepreneur
Small Collection Point
Processing Centre
Landfill
13. China’s “Informal” Entrepreneurs
"I think it should be called Floating recycling
industry, or non-fixed recycling. Because in the end
the stuff we recycled all end up in formal recycling
companies ”
应该叫 “流动式废旧物资回收行业” 较为合理
或者 “非固定式废旧物资回收业”,”正规” 这两字用字有
些许不妥,因我们最后一个环节基本上都是流向了正规
的回收企业!
Large Collection Point Owner – 15 years in the business
14. China’s “Informal” Entrepreneurs
我们不可能一直在上海,以后回老家开一个
废品回收站,还要买套房子。
“We won't be in Shanghai forever. We
would like to move back to our hometown
and open a recycling center there. We
hope to buy an apartment too.”
我一个中学学历的,在上海能有这份工作
已经很知足了。
“I only have a middle school degree. I
am lucky to have the business in
Shanghai.”
童围 (Tong Wei) –
A residential Collector
15. China’s “Informal” Entrepreneurs
“My son is now studying at University in Henan, and my little girl
is a senior in high school in Shanghai. She is good at English and
would like to apply for Shanghai International Studies University
next year. They definitely will have a brighter future. I’m glad our
life here can make some contributions to their life.”
我儿子正在河南读大学,女儿在上海读高中。她英语很好,打算明年
报考上海外国语大学。他们的未来一定比我们的强多了,很欣慰我们
在这里的努力对他们有帮助。
C & D Collectors – A couple from Henan Province
16. The Market Mechanism - Collection
Wood ~ 0.06 – 0.1
Copper ~ 20 – 35
Iron ~ 0.7 – 0.8
Cardboard ~ 0.3 – 1
Paper ~ 0.4 – 0.5
Aluminium ~ 6 – 7
All values in RMB/kg
Plastic ~ 2 Styrofoam ~ 0.5 – 0.8
17. Creating a market and/or economic
model is key to achieving zero
“waste”
19. Where do the opportunities lie?
New (Bio)materials
Particularly for short “stocks”
The Sharing Economy
Design for Dismantle
Product to Service Systems
(PSS)
Consumer Movements
New Reuse/Recycling
innovation
20. Who’s doing it?
Ecovative
Combination of agricultural
waste and mushrooms that
creates a shock proof and
resistant packaging that is a
replacement for polystyrene.
Material is fully compostable
and adds nutrients to soil.
✔ New Material
✔ New Recycling Innovation
Bio-Bean
Technology that generates
high quality fuel and “coffee
logs” that can be burnt for
energy and used on fires or
bbqs.
Currently in the research
phase of bio-diesel
production.
✔ New Recycling Innovation
✔ New Material
OLIO
A sharing economy platform
that links consumers with
otherwise wasted food items.
It is both a B2C and C2C
platform. Launched in London
and going worldwide.
✔ Sharing Economy
✔ Consumer Movement
24. Government
Consumers
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs – The early movers who
innovative and drive development.
Government – Policy and incentives to
encourage innovation?
Consumers – Behavioral and attitude
change required for full reduction.
Zero “Waste”
Entrepreneurs need a bit of help
25. The Challenge – Initiate Rebrand
We Chat group “Rebranding Waste”
Over the next week can we come up with a new
word or phrase to define the “waste” that is
reused/has value and therefore should not be
considered waste?!
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