To address the issue, Wang said more efforts are needed to activate customers' environmental awareness and cultivate the habit of paying for environmentally friendly products.

Over the past two years, the recycling bins have been installed in some universities in Zhejiang province on a trial basis, and have been well-received among environmentally conscious students. To attract more users, the usage fee has been scrapped and credit scores are rewarded to those who use the recyclable bags.

The initiative has also enrolled volunteers in the pilot campuses to help promote the recyclable bags.

Wang is optimistic about the prospect of her product. On this year's Singles Day shopping spree, she posted an article about plastic waste on the social networking app WeChat, which drew the attention of tens of thousands.

"That indicates that many people do care about the environment and are aware of the pollution caused by plastic waste. They just don't know what they can do to solve the problem," she said.

Wang has another obstacle to overcome – prejudice. She admitted that her ambition of eliminating plastic bag waste has not received enough support from her family.

"People around me don't think it's a decent job to deal with garbage every day," she said. "Since I have been an ace student all through my school years, they have high hopes on me and expect me to do something 'bigger'," Wang said.

"My mom even refuses to attend family gatherings, because she hates to tell relatives and friends that her daughter is doing a job related to garbage, which she regards as something embarrassing."

Despite the difficulties, Wang believed that her efforts will pay off one day.

"Environmental protection is a cause that requires long-term efforts. However, if no one does it, in the end, everyone will become the victim of an environmental meltdown," she said.

Wang Shuqing contributed to the story.