Locals act against plastic waste in Tibet

Rise of consumerism

The economic boom that enriched China's eastern regions over the past 30 years has expanded to Tibet and other inland regions.

That has fed urbanization along with the consumption of commodities and other waste-generating activities.

By the end of last year, Tibet's urban population totaled 1.07 million, nearly four times the 287,000 recorded in 1980, according to regional government data.

Lhasa's supermarket shelves carry nearly every item seen in their counterparts in Beijing. Mushrooming fashion brands such as Yishion and Bosideng have shortened the life span of the average Tibetan's wardrobe, while fast-food chains like McDonald's and KFC expand the use of disposable items in Lhasa.

Online shopping platforms and food-delivery services are also trending, creating large amounts of waste.

According to ASKCI, a business consultancy, Tibet's residents received 3.2 million packages in 2012, while the number more than doubled in 2016 to 7.3 million.

The Tibet branch of the State-run China Post said its delivery personnel each delivered an average 200 packages every day in November, when the "Double 11" shopping carnival-initiated by e-commerce giant Alibaba-was held.

Though some big cities have been experimenting with ways of recycling cardboard boxes and other packing materials, most wrapping in China goes into trash cans unsorted.

Ban the white

Tersing Dorji, 62, a member of the Lhasa Ban-White Association, said the worst pollution results from rural farmers' markets and the common use of plastic bags, which are super-thin and relatively expensive to recycle.

"They are of various colors and very light, and when the wind blows they fly everywhere," she said.