5 Innovators Helping Generate Value from Plastic Waste

An estimated 2 million tonnes of plastic garbage were released annually between 2017 and 2019 from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Plastic waste that is not polluting waterways is either burned or discarded, posing a serious risk to the health of the ecosystem and biodiversity. By 2040, it is predicted that 29 million tonnes of plastic trash will enter the ocean annually if effective waste management infrastructure measures are not made.

The Global Plastic Action Partnership, The Incubation Network, and The Alliance to End Plastic Waste called for creative approaches to Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam’s plastic waste management with an emphasis on recycling and upcycling. The Plastic Waste to Value Southeast Asia Challenge was launched to accelerate innovative solutions.

Academic researchers, business sustainability practitioners, innovators, and experts in the circular economy and the environment carefully evaluated the 48 shortlisted applicants. Based on their contributions to at least one of the three focus areas—improving working conditions, promoting operational improvement, and managing, processing, and/or recycling more plastic waste — solutions have been evaluated.

The top five innovators who will take part in the five-month program are as follows:

Bank Sampah Bersinar is an Indonesian social enterprise that offers solutions for neighborhood garbage management. Through collaboration, education, social empowerment, and technological advancements, they seek to change people’s attitudes toward waste management to facilitate the adoption of a circular economy.

Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. is a company in the Philippines that engages in low-value plastic upcycling which gathers single-use plastics (SUPs) and transforms them into useful items including furniture, construction materials, seats and tables for use in schools, and other items.

Kibumi is a company that enhances the supply chain for recovering plastic through digitally enhanced and contemporary waste collecting locations. They presently manage 410 tonnes of waste each month through four contemporary recycling centers in Indonesia.

PLASTICPeople is a Vietnam-based company that gathers plastic waste and turns it into functional, safe, and beautiful products. To create various sorts of boards, plastic waste is separated, minced, and melted.

TerraCycle Global Foundation offers straightforward, ground-breaking, and highly effective ways to stop, get rid of, and recycle garbage from the environment. The company gives all of its collectors a fair and stable salary, health insurance, and safety gear to highlight the need for more support and recognition for waste pickers in Thailand.