In South Africa, informal waste pickers or “reclaimers” remain largely invisible, despite being critical contributors to waste management. Johannesburg-based African Reclaimers Organisation has been working to change this through uniting 6,000 reclaimers under a single umbrella.

Recicleiros, in partnership with the Alliance, has started up 14 sorting centres in small to medium-sized cities in Brazil, bringing recycling to these communities for the first time. The project is creating new jobs and connecting various players along the value chain, laying the pathway for an inclusive, high-impact, and economically viable system.

In five neighbourhoods in the Argentinian city of Olavarría, bags of unsorted waste have become a much less common sight. Instead, almost half the residents and businesses separate their waste before putting it out on designated collection days. With the success of its pilot, Delterra is now rolling out its GIRO Argentina model to 120,000 residents. Olavarría is now on its way to becoming a city with one of the highest recycling rates in Latin America.

Instead of serving drinks and snacks, special machines in Chinese cities are taking in plastic waste and dispensing circularity. Building on LOVERE’s model to place smart bins across several districts in the dynamic city of Shanghai, the goal is to more than double recycling rates in Chengdu and Xi’an from 15% to 35%.

Through The Incubation Network’s programmes, small local businesses and entrepreneurs in the plastics value chain are receiving the support they need to get their ideas off the ground. Incubator initiatives include country-specific ones and region-wide programmes, and the Alliance has supported start-ups directly to develop an integrated, robust ecosystem around our projects.

One of the most ambitious waste management projects is underway in Indonesia. The aspiration is to bring together the municipal and national governments, expertise and funds from the private sector, and the participation of local communities in a coordinated push to transform the waste management landscape.

Japan ranks among the largest producers of plastic waste in the world, and the nation’s culture of innovation is helping it solve this problem. Through our incubation programme with Plug and Play, the End Plastic Waste Innovation Platform, two of 11 winning initiatives have become part of the Alliance’s portfolio of solutions: Megloo Re-use and POOL Recycling System.

In India, a new generation of eco-warriors is taking the future into its hands – starting with responsible plastic waste management. SOCEO’s educational programme has engaged over 45,000 students on the role they play in addressing plastic waste pollution in the region.

In central Bangkok’s Klongtoei district, the Recycle Market app is connecting players in the district’s recycling ecosystem. From residents through to recyclers, plastic waste is purchased and delivered on demand. Some 2,000 residents are participating in the Eco Digiclean Klongtoei pilot, where the app issues credits for deposited waste, and can be redeemed for cash.

Following a successful six-month collaboration in 2022, Taka Taka and the Alliance are now embarking on a more ambitious undertaking: to put into place a sustainable recycling solution for flexible plastics. In salvaging flexible plastic waste and returning it to the production cycle, the material can be diverted away from the Dandora landfill – one of Africa’s largest dumpsites.

In a country where waste management is hindered by limited and unequally distributed resources, the South African Healthcare Foundation brings the public and private sectors together in a coordinated effort to divert plastic waste. The four-year programme will fund upgrades of sorting, education for the community, and the establishment of an innovation hub.