Prayaash

Nepal struggles with plastic waste recovery because of its rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure for collecting and transferring waste.

The Alliance and local waste collector, Creasion, have embarked on a project to expand Nepal’s informal plastic waste collection network and build a formal waste management system in the country. This project targets areas where plastic waste is not managed well, aiming to create a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

Creasion has been a leader in plastic waste recycling and management in Nepal since 2005.

The organisation has worked closely with Coca-Cola Nepal on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle collection and has a strong history of impactful partnerships.

The Prayaash project operates in two main provinces of Nepal: Bagmati and Madhesh. Research on Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan showed these areas are ideal for collecting and recovering PET and other plastics. The project targets remote areas of Nepal where challenging terrain and limited infrastructure have long hindered plastic waste recovery.

Without proper collection and recycling systems, plastic waste is often burned or discarded, causing significant environmental harm. By expanding the informal collection network and introducing formal systems, the project hopes to reduce pollution and encourage sustainable habits.

The strategy is multi-pronged. The project builds on existing infrastructure and combines formal and informal collection systems to reach more people and improve efficiency. Enhancing the capacity of current recovery equipment and expanding collection efforts to include PET and other types of plastics, will increase the project’s impact. A key objective is to create jobs by expanding the informal waste collection network, which will benefit local communities.

The main goals of the project are:

· Collect and recycle 2,700 tonnes of plastic waste, including PET and other plastics

· Strengthen the skills and capacity of plastic waste aggregators and collectors

· Raise consumer awareness about better plastic waste management practices

The project has already reached important milestones. In July 2024, Phase II of the project was successfully completed, with 2,081 tonnes of plastic waste collected and recycled, surpassing the initial commitment of 1,700 tonnes. In October 2024, Phase III started, with over 1,000 tonnes of plastic waste collected and recycled so far. This phase is committed to collecting and recycling a total of 2,300 tonnes. In addition, the Alliance also co-funded a portion of the equipment and fleet of collection vehicles at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), constructed and operated by Creasion

Another important strand to the Prayaash project is to boost the social status and improve the lives of informal waste workers. Their labour is critical to diverting recyclable plastic waste from the environment and landfill in the difficult Nepalese terrain.

Measures have included improving working conditions at waste facilities, with the addition of segregated changing rooms and lactation rooms for female employees. Other broader social inclusion initiatives for over 500 informal workers have led to fairer wages, and in some cases, insurance coverage. The project has also trained workers in safety and occupational health.

The Prayaash project is also exploring collaboration with the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers and WIEGO, a global network that supports women in informal employment, to gain technical advice on including informal waste collectors and sorters in the formal system.

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