Collecting plastics in Hamarapur — Impact in 3 months
Did you know that plastic waste can become nutritious food? If that seems farfetched, hold on to your seat cause you are in for a surprise. Together with our partner Indias Barn, the plastic waste collection point outside Mumbai has been running for almost 3 months now. How has that changed the lives for the local people in Hamarapur?- Read on to find out.
Thanks to our collaboration with Indias barn and their local partner CFI, we opened our first collection point in Hamarapur India in October. We have raised awareness, given value to the collected plastic waste; fighting poverty and poor waste management. This has so far led to a delivery of over 1900 kg of plastic waste at our pilot collection point. Our joint effort and collaboration has led to increased mindfulness towards plastic waste and the value it can hold. The villagers are able to deliver clean plastic waste twice a week. With the help of Indias Barn, we ensure revenue for the citizens who collect plastic and enable further handling in an environmentally friendly way. Increased income helps improve the living conditions of children in the village. So far, we have collected 1784 kg of plastic bottles that can be recycled to make a variety of products, such as new shoes.
In the period that the collection point has been running, there is a significant shift in the attitude towards plastic waste among the villagers. As a result, the village is much cleaner than it used to be. Regular monthly cleanup drives are also arranged in the village and all the plastics collected are delivered at the collection point for further handling.
People now deliver the plastic waste instead of strewing it on the streets. At the collection point we weigh the plastic and do a quick quality check before the value of the plastic delivered is given to the collectors.
For plastic collectors such as Namdev, the income generated through the solution ensures that he is able to provide for his family with essential commodities such as- sugar, oil, lentils and sprouts. As an added bonus, sometimes his grandchildren are able to enjoy delicacies like sweet treats as well (in these holiday seasons we know how it is to be a sweet tooth!).
A truck full of plastic waste is dumped in the ocean every minute. According to BBC reports, 80% of the ocean plastic in developing countries comes from areas of high poverty. In areas where managing proper food and shelter tends to be one of the toughest ordeals, recycling takes a back seat in the priority list and, hence, considered to be a luxury of sorts among residents in such areas. This is where Empower can step in; our solution fits into these scenarios such that the generated plastic waste is given a value and delivered at the collection points while the technology secures transparency and traceability of the waste delivered.
The changes in the area are inspiring and the significance of our solution is evident in the area. Do you feel motivated to take action? Find out more and support the project at:
