TRASH TALK

“What kind of garbage are you？” Shanghais latest disposal regulations have inspired new greetings， and memes， among residents facing the fresh perplexities of trash sorting.

Effective from July 1， residents must separate their waste into four categories—“wet” and “dry，” hazardous materials， and recyclables—or pay heavy fines. Humorous netizens have re-labeled the confusing categories as， respectively， “What a pig would eat， what a pig wont eat， what would kill a pig， and what you can trade for a pig.”

The “garbage sorting makes me quit milk tea” meme describes the inconveniences that some feel from the regulations—unfinished milk tea supposedly has to be poured down the drain， with the tapioca pearls going into the “wet” bin， the cup and straw in the “dry” bin， and the lid and cup sleeve in “recyclables.” However， “feeling unaccustomed，” chides the Peoples Daily， “is just part of the process of developing good garbage-sorting habits.”

–Sun Jiahui （孫佳慧）