A new side hustle is gaining popularity among Chinese youth: getting paid to take out strangers’ trash. This seemingly trivial service has turned out to be surprisingly popular among local residents.
This new commercial niche falls under China’s booming “lazy economy” — a growing market where business owners provide convenient, time-saving minor services, allowing busy people to outsource their daily household tasks for a small fee.
The pricing for trash pickup services is highly affordable. A single collection trip typically costs between 3 and 5 yuan (0.45 to 0.75 US dollars), and a monthly unlimited service package is priced at roughly 100 yuan (15 US dollars). Subscribers to the monthly plan only need to leave their garbage bags at their doorsteps, with daily collection arranged by service providers.
When the service first emerged, many people doubted that consumers would be willing to pay for such a basic household errand that most people can do themselves.
However, regular customers have shared various practical reasons for embracing the paid service.
Some individuals choose to take out their garbage only late at night to avoid encountering neighbors and passers-by. Meanwhile, office workers in Shanghai struggle to comply with the rigid waste disposal time rules enforced in many residential communities, making self-trash disposal extremely inconvenient.
The service also caters to homebound people who prefer staying indoors, as well as elderly residents with limited mobility, for whom taking out trash is a strenuous chore.
A service operator in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, revealed that her team primarily assists elderly seniors living in walk-up buildings with no elevators. She secured three orders in her first month of operation and intends to cooperate with local communities to scale up her business.
A Hangzhou-based service provider operating under the name Mihan saw even faster growth, gaining over 20 orders within just three days of launching her business. She also offers extra perks for clients, such as picking up their packages on occasion.
She notes that a major benefit of this line of work is the minimal in-person interaction with customers, making the service simple and hassle-free for both parties.
This trash pickup business is just one example of a nationwide shift in Chinese consumption habits. More people are now ready to spend small sums of money to save precious time and rid themselves of trivial daily troubles.
Trash disposal is not the only popular outsourced errand. Parcel collection services charge the same 3 to 5 yuan per item or around 100 yuan for a monthly daily subscription, while school pick-up services cost approximately 50 yuan per trip.
While paying someone to take out the trash may seem unnecessary to some, countless consumers believe spending a few yuan is a worthwhile trade-off to make their daily lives more relaxed and convenient.
