Waste commons in motion

In thinking biowaste at the heart of commoning, this article juxtaposes the alarming escalation of the global waste crisis with the quiet history of repurposing food waste as pigswills in Hong Kong. It develops the notion of waste commons, in line with Hardt and Negri’s biopolitical commons, which emphasizes not only environmentally sensitive approaches to common pool challenges but also the historical, social, and political dynamics that reshape interactions among humans, waste, and the environment. This framework integrates narratives, knowledge, and social relations to weave a ‘fabric of common experience’ for the shared biological existence of all life. Through studying memory, policy, and actions related to biowaste, I trace the development of environmental regimes aimed at keeping the colonial city ‘free of nuisance’, while highlighting the struggles of the informal pigswill economy. The study illustrates how well-intentioned institutions and policies designed to eliminate environmental nuisances – such as pests, effluence, and contamination – can inadvertently undermine valuable practices that repurpose biowaste for more-than-human life. This socio-ecological process reveals the significance of environmental hygiene in spatial configurations favoring urbanization. Meanwhile, resilient recycling practices such as composting, animal feed, and food rescue emerge and challenge it. Through the lens of waste commons, I propose biopolitical strategies of commoning that include reimagining human-waste interactions, adopting an integrative approach to environmental policies for circularity, and nurturing the autonomous capacity of commoners to address ecological issues. Ultimately, through the narratives, technologies, communities, and histories that surround it, biowaste weaves the fabric of common experience, enabling us to feel, think, and act differently amidst anthropocentric uncertainties.