Plastic bottles have gone up in price again; the regular ones are now 10 cents each. This box of plastic bottles could fetch a dozen yuan! I guess it's enough to buy a big watermelon. Yesterday morning, a 30-something woman, Wen Ying, who works at a public institution, was counting a box of plastic bottles with a smile on her face.

Save bottles for swapping watermelons

Since the summer arrived, more and more colleagues have been drinking beverages in the office, with many simply throwing the empty bottles into the trash bin. "This is just too wasteful! And it's not eco-friendly at all!" So, the attentive Wen Ying found a large cardboard box and placed it in the office, where everyone started throwing their used plastic bottles into it. Wen Ying said, "It really takes a village! That one box got filled up in just a few days. A few days ago, I sold a batch; regular plastic bottles were 10 cents for two, and thicker ones were 10 cents each. I sold the box for 6 yuan, added a few more yuan, and bought a big watermelon with it."

Scrap recycling prices have increased again.

Yesterday, Wenying called Aunt Li, the recycling collector, again, and learned that the price of plastic bottles had gone up; the ones that were sold for 5 cents last time are now 10 cents. Wenying did a quick calculation in her mind and estimated that this box of plastic bottles could fetch an extra 3 to 4 yuan, which would mean she wouldn't have to add any money when buying watermelons.

Aunt Li noted that there has indeed been an upward trend in the recycling of various waste materials, such as plastic bottles and newspapers, on the market. Particularly, the price of废塑料瓶 has surged, mainly due to the increased purchase prices at recycling stations, which naturally led to a corresponding increase in her recycling rates. Last year, it took three to four plastic bottles to exchange for a dime, but now just one can fetch a dime. During this period, Aunt Li's collection volume has increased by at least 20% compared to the previous few months, allowing her to earn an extra twenty to thirty yuan each day.