Context

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) announced the “Inclusive Circular Economy” project on 23rd January 2023 and implemented an end-to-end plastic waste management system in several wards of Mumbai City by promoting source segregation and by setting up Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) centers (HUL, 2023).

Challenges Addressed

• Ineffective plastic waste collection in different wards of Mumbai

• Social exclusion and economic vulnerability faced by informal waste pickers.

Inadequate Material Recovery Facilities for segregation of all kinds of plastic waste along the value chain.

Actions Taken

• Established four Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in various wards of Mumbai City as part of an end-to-end plastic waste management system, promoting source segregation and further sending it for efficient recycling practices,

• Surveyed more than 9,000 Safai Sathis (waste pickers), which highlighted the need for formalization of waste workers, skill development opportunities, education opportunities for their children, and alternate livelihoods.

• Initiatives underway to scale up the program to reach out to 100,000 households.

Impact Achieved

• To date, the partnership has diverted 8,000 metric tons of plastic waste from landfills,

• Connected with 3,300 Safai Saathis; 3 out of 4 safai saathis were women.

• Social inclusion of waste pickers with successful connection with various government welfare schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, SHRAM card, and Jan Dhan account.