As the bridge between waste and recycling industries, waste pickers are indispensable in the journey toward a circular economy. Here’s how one company is supporting this vital profession in India.

Embracing circular economy practices is a complex challenge for industries that needs to involve the entire value chain of a product. Fortunately, a range of technological solutions are available to offer solutions.

From instant knitting machines to fungus-grown plants, the fashion industry is starting to address its heavy impact on the environment.

From Bali to Uganda, companies and communities are pioneering solutions to the plastic waste problem. Here are six projects to keep an eye on in 2021.

Cutting down plastic waste during the festive season doesn’t mean compromising on sparkle and joy; taking the time to reduce, reuse, and recycle can be a great way to bond with loved ones and give unique gifts.

In the sixth article in this blog series, Bali-based Joi Danielson, Founder of Vital Ocean and SYSTEMIQ Partner, looks at how the separation of plastic from organic waste helps add value to the community, the environment, as well as all those involved in collecting, processing and using the end product. That helped Temesi Recycling build a viable organic waste processing operation in Bali, Indonesia.

In the fifth edition of a six-part blog series supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Pinky Chandran, founding member of SWMRT, trustee of Hasiru Dala and co-author of “Leave No Trace”, writes about her involvement in helping to solve Bangalore’s waste problem, by bringing together enthusiastic activists, with previously unrecognised waste pickers.

In the fourth article in this blog series, Bali-based Joi Danielson showcases Rumah Kompos Padangtegal (RKP), working in the challenging, high plastic-leakage environment in Indonesia to help build a robust waste collection system.

In the third edition of a six-part blog series supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Co-author of Leave No Trace, Julia Luchesi, talks about the need to remove the stigma around waste pickers and improve the quality of their lives. She showcases the work of people in the Cooperativa Sempre Verde, the National Movement of Waste Pickers (MNCR) and the artists of Pimp My Carroca.

In the second of a six-part blog series supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Co-author of Leave No Trace, Julia Luchesi, talks about the importance of reframing our relationship with waste. It showcases how one social enterprise is working in challenging, high plastic-leakage environments to solve difficult and universal questions on building robust waste and recycling systems.

Our vision is to end plastic waste in the environment, but this vision means much more than just solving the waste challenge, it also looks at solutions to support better lives for millions of communities by enabling a local sustainable ecosystem. Our investments are directed by four strategic pillars, one of which is Infrastructure. The latter targets plastic waste leakage so every community should have universal access to an environment free of plastic waste at its source.

In the second of a four-part blog series, Vice President of Projects, Nicholas Kolesch, discusses how incentives to clean up plastic waste can be enabled through circularity and how a project in Ghana paves the way.

In the first of a four-part blog series, Vice President of Projects, Nicholas Kolesch, who joined us on 1 of May 2020 writes about how the Alliance is looking to foster innovative solutions in its journey to help end plastic waste.

The Covid-19 pandemic has swept across the world, disrupting lives on an unprecedented scale. At the time of this blog, there are 2.2 million cases globally. From philanthropy to production, from supply chains to waste management, cooperation has sprung everywhere, and businesses and individuals are aiding the fight in every community they serve. It is a level of cooperation that is unprecedented but needs to happen in this fight which is bigger than any of us.