3 - Labouring in Waste? Critical Reflections on the Lack of a Recycling Ethos in Singapore

Presentation Abstract
In recent years, the city-state of Singapore has encouraged circular economy initiatives to achieve a ‘Zero Waste Nation’. In this context, this presentation draws on ethnographic observations and interviews to illustrate why some Singaporeans perceive household recycling as a form of ‘labouring in waste’. Here, ‘labouring in waste’ refers to the consumption work involved in transforming recyclable waste into a resource and the labour that may be wasted in doing so. Respondents who do not recycle cite two main reasons for this. First, they are aware of the high levels of contamination that have persistently plagued the commingled blue recycling bins. They understand that even a small amount of contaminant can put whole batches of recyclables to waste. Second, some consider other R-behaviours that are higher up the waste hierarchy (e.g. reuse) to be more effective at waste reduction. Not recycling their household waste freed up their time/energy for other R-behaviours and pursuing other environmental(ist) causes such as giving away things they do not need on free-cycling platforms, consuming rescued food and procuring second-hand items. Taken together, two key points on circular consumption work can be gleaned from this study. First, far from being passive recipients of environmental messaging – including state-driven recycling campaigns – consumers are capable of discerning what kinds of circular R-behaviours are worth their valuable effort/time. Second, these responses advance the scholarship on circular consumption work by shedding light on the importance of examining R-behaviours holistically, as part of R-practices alongside their interconnections.