Page 27 - Plastics News March 2022

FEATURE

The Zero Waste Cities Challenge

Shree Guru Plastics, a Guwahati micro-enterprise and winner of WasteAid’s Zero Waste Cities Challenge, has found an
ideal way to recover value from waste flexible plastics by manufacturing plastic sheeting for damp course and selling
it to the local construction sector. the plastic, from where it is shredded enterprise is not only recovering value
Guwahati is at the heart of the thriv- and melted, and transformed into du- from flexible plastic packaging, but is
ing regional construction sector supply rable plastic lining for house building also using this value to support people
chain. Housebuilders source the major- projects. in poverty and with limited employ-
ity of their materials in this area, and so The particular challenge of low-value ment prospects. To start with, Shree
circular economy entrepreneurs are ide- plastics in a circular economy Guru employs waste pickers who play a
ally placed to offer low-cost and high- Flexible plastic is lightweight, low- vital role in the value chain, using their
quality recycled construction products. cost, water-proof and sanitary, making specialist knowledge to select the cor-
Shree Guru Plastics, a Guwahati micro- it ideal for a wide range of packaging rect plastics required for the process. By
enterprise and winner of WasteAid’s applications. Once it becomes a waste, providing a new market for an often-
Zero Waste Cities Challenge, has found however, a number of factors combine overlooked waste material, the business
an ideal way to recover value from waste to make flexible plastic packaging a ma- is enabling people at the beginning of
flexible plastics by manufacturing plas- jor challenge for a circular economy: the value chain to diversify and to access
tic sheeting for damp course and selling a new source of income. Since they are
it to the local construction sector. • A wide range of polymers are used selling to the recycler directly, there are
in flexible plastic packag- no middle-men and Shree Guru is able
ing, making it difficult to pay a fair wage directly to the collec-
for the untrained eye to tors.
distinguish one from an- Waste pickers are usually living in ex-
other. treme poverty, and so an uplift in in-
• Thin plastic film can come can mean the difference between
be attached to other ma- one meal or two in a day, or the chance
terials such as paper and to send their children to school. The
metal, which are impos- factory also employs 11 women. India’s
sible to separate in a cost- female labour force participation is the
effective manner. lowest in South Asia, with four out of
• Used flexible packag- five women out of work. A survey by
ing is often contami- Avtar Group found that women in India
nated, for example with are paid 34 percent less than men for the
residues of food or deter- same job with the same qualifications.
gent, meaning it has to Fairly-paid employment opportunities
Disrupting a traditional market with re- be cleaned thoroughly before it can for women like those offered by Shree
cycled products be recycled. Likewise, flimsy plastics Guru are highly sought-after as they
Damp course is an important but often are often mixed in with food waste, bring both income and family benefits.
overlooked material in building com- hampering composting operations. With women’s wage work linked to an
fortable homes. By acting as a water- • Its lightweight nature means it takes increase in education for children in the
proof layer between the ground and the more time and effort to collect a kil- house, supporting women into work is
living quarters, it keeps homes warmer ogram of flexible packaging than it vital for children’s prospects and social
and drier – vital in a region that expe- does to collect a kilo of plastic bot- mobility. The demand for such films is
riences twice as much rain as the UK. tles. As a consequence, flexi packs high and Guwahati is the regional hub
This in turn creates a healthier living en- are often avoided by waste pickers of its distribution. Shree Guru Plastic
vironment, less prone to mould that can who are making a living from col- is aiming to scale operations to provide
result in respiratory illnesses. lecting recyclable materials. employment for an additional seven col-
To make its plastic sheeting, Shree An inclusive approach to a circular plas- lectors from marginalised communities,
and a further 15 women in the factory.
Guru Plastics hires five women to col- tic economy
lect the thin film polyethylene (PE) bags The business model developed by Shree WasteAid’s Circular Economy Network
and wrap. Once at the factory, six more Guru Plastics means that the micro- and its Zero Waste Cities Challenge was
women are employed to sort and clean funded by Huhtamaki.

27 PLASTICS NEWS March 2022