Alipay Offering Shanghai Residents Tmall Vouchers for Correct Trash Disposal

Been meaning to set up Alipay, but haven't gotten around to it? Well here's an incentive...

In an effort to get more young people to dispose of their garbage in the correct bins, the Shanghai Greenery and Sanitation Bureau (SGSB) has linked up with Alipay to announce a redesigned ‘green accounts’ initiative whereby participating citizens can earn points every time they sort their dry and wet garbage into separate bins. The points can then be redeemed for select items on Tmall, because nothing says ‘green’ like rabid consumerism.

How will the ‘green accounts’ work? Despite being attached to online shopping, the initiative stays old school when it comes to enforcement. Participating neighborhoods will have volunteers stationed by the bins to issue point vouchers.

The SGSB hopes to add 5 million households to the initiative by 2020. To date, 2 million households are participating, contributing in part to a decrease in overall trash treatment from 18,902 tons in 2011 to 16,435 tons last year.

The ‘green accounts’ initiative has been going on for three years, but the SGSB just brought Alipay on board in hopes that more young people will go green. 

[Image via Shanghai Daily]