Helping the community understand new rubbish classification laws was the goal of an art exhibition held at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s International Business School Suzhou last month.

Titled ‘YAS! What kind of rubbish is IT?’, the exhibition was the work of XJTLU’s Animal Welfare Club student club, the Student Chapter of Institution of Civil Engineers, and external company Young Bae & Friends. Take out containers, express packages, plastic bags and disposable tableware were all used to craft oil paintings and photographs, transforming the rubbish into artwork.

Since July this year, Suzhou’s neighbouring city of Shanghai has enforced compulsory rubbish classification, triggering hot discussions in the community about how citizens can meet the new requirements.

More recently, similar regulations were deliberated and passed during the 22nd session of the Standing Committee of the 16th People’s Congress in Suzhou, and will take effect in June 2020.

The exhibition organisers said they hoped the exhibition would inspire people to protect their environment through recycling.

By Simin Yang, photos by Ke Ren

Translated by Boqiang Xiao, edited by Rosanna Galvin