Project Summary: Describe your contribution in one sentence

Plastiskul works towards the renewal, i.e. reducing the flow of capital and goods through a local circular economy of reuse and thus, reducing our ecological footprint. This emerges as a viable production model capable of creating a systemic change through its essential values of relocation of production, limited edition need-based manufacturing, human at the centre of the system and a light ecological footprint.

What are the additional countries or territories of impact?

France, Kenya, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia

Challenge Focus: What topic does your project most directly relate to?

Creating inclusive pathways for people to contribute towards building a sustainable world

Website URL(s) or social media handles

https://www.linkedin.com/company/plastiskul/ https://www.instagram.com/plastiskul/ www.plastiksul.org

The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve?

Plastic pollution is one of, if not the biggest challenge(s) currently facing the world, with risks increasing due to the continuous increase in the production and use of single-use plastics. Currently, nearly 100 million tonnes of plastic waste is either mismanaged or allowed to leak into the environment worldwide, a figure that is estimated to double by 2060 (Aljazeera, 3rd June 2022). According to the same publication, roughly 8.3 billion tonnes of plastics have been produced since the 1950s, 60% of which has been discarded into landfills, trenches, burned, or thrown into water bodies. Only 9% of the world’s plastic has been recycled (National Geographic, 2018). This poses a significant threat to both the environment and health.

The situation is more dire in developing countries, where lack of proper waste management infrastructure worsens the issue. According to the World Bank, 93% of waste in developing countries is burned or dumped in roads, open land, or waterways compared to only 2% of waste is dumped in high-income countries (World Bank, 2018). Burning of plastic waste releases carcinogens, toxins, and greenhouse gasses. Dumped and littered plastic blocks drains leading to flooding and breeding grounds for malaria-bearing mosquitoes. Plastic waste also gets into soil and disrupts crops, and littered plastic is often eaten by livestock, killing many animals each year.

Your connection and commitment: How close are you to the problem and/or the community impacted?

Plastiksul is a partnership by 7 social innovators working in plastic waste and campaigning for behavioural change to reduce plastic pollution. The co-founders are working in the field of plastic recycling and bring specific implementable technologies to the consortium for global and localised use.

Ugandan co-founders - innovating new products for construction using plastic waste and have a schools program with 3000+ students engaged in learning about plastic pollution and recycling methodologies, aiming to create behavioural change amongst and empower them with skills to become changemakers.

Indian co-founders - have been working with grassroots waste workers for over 20 years, upskilling 2500+ waste workers to become wastepreneurs by creating opportunities through plastic waste. They are well versed with the needs of the wasteworker community and the challenges they face. The Indian Plastiskul microfactory is run by a group of trained wasteworkers who have been upskilled in 3 different plastic recycling technologies, developing recycled plastic products and sample prototypes for different clients.

Our French co-founders lead designing and prototyping of products, made available to Plastiskul microfactories for easy replication of successful products.

Each co-founder is closely connected with the waste supply chain community in their country.  We also have work-in-progress technologies under Plastiskul like using drones for waste collection and creating bioplastics. With these technologies, we are looking to create a systems change in the plastic waste supply chain and the community that works for it.

Plastiskul co-founders also supported these communities through Covid, funding education for underprivileged children, holding awareness workshops on health.

Your approach: How are you enabling other people to identify as green changemakers? How are you influencing them to get involved in your initiative or care about the issue you are addressing?

With the circular economic model of Plastiskul, sustainability can be integrated in practice by upcycling plastic waste through our micro-factory model leading to value creation from waste, developing scale up solutions, eliminating virgin plastic raw material from production cycle, & building the capacity of youth in circular opportunities.

We target and enable a diverse range of stakeholders to become changemakers.

1. School student & youth - School students and youth are reached out and sensitised on the plastic pollution crisis through field visits and learning camps to create awareness about recycling and upcycling efforts of plastic waste. This create an inquisitive behaviour within them to ideate upon upcycled products and green entrepreneurship.
2. Marginalised & Vulnerable Communities - The PlastiSkul Micro-Factory is used as a training and upskilling centre for individuals from waste pickers and artisan community, building their capacity and equipping them with skills for circular jobs of the future. 
3. Wastepreneur Services - The sustainable product market for plastic recycling products is increasing at a fast pace. Many micro and small entrepreneurs are trying to get into sustainbility sector but don’t always have the finances to meet the barriers for entry to this industry. PSK offers entry into this industry by offering moulds, prototypes and machinery that is leased out for short production runs for these entrepreneurs and offers them to become wastepreneurs with very low investments, thereby accelerating the transition to a circular economy. 
4. Corporate Employees - PlastiSkul micro-factories reaches out to companies for providing environmental awareness and upcycled gifting options allowing us to engage with them turning them into conscious consumers.

Community involvement: How is your approach involving community participation, especially the historically marginalized groups?

PSK mission is targeted towards the poorest of waste pickers in developing countries. Ragpickers in India, generational, migrants or refugees, with limited agency, are an exploited class of society, informalised and vulnerable, lack opportunity, forcing them into scavenging for survival. They suffer from social discrimination and exploitation pushing them into deprivation and poverty. We have a very close knit relationship with this community as our India partner has worked with ragpickers groups over the last 20 years. In this depth of poverty, there are also big dreams and there is hope. There is immense practical knowledge that this community has about waste which can be utilised for effective circular practices. They are a key stakeholder in our supply chain and contribute to business decisions like which colours and products to design, how production orders can be divided between different groups, policies on wages, working hours, payment terms etc. Group leaders and business function heads from the groups are self-elected.  As a strategy for inclusive growth, we monitor progress and aspirations and match to appropriate training and mentorship that would enable wastepreneurs. Over time we are able to witness a mindset shift in the individuals entering PSK programs. There is a zeal to become sustainability focused entrepreneurs and changemakers.

Your Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions already out there? How is your approach original and innovative? We are particularly interested in solutions that use regenerative approaches.

The Plastiskul model re-innovates the plastics supply chain to make it creator-driven, inclusive, circular and climate positive! It works on a territories-based, microfactory approach, ensuring a light ecological footprint and keeping humans at the centre of the system. 

In the current plastic crises, Plastiskul has a direct environmental impact by decontamination of the environment and  saving emissions through recycling of plastics. PSK delivers a large social impact through upskilling waste workers for circular jobs and empowering them to become entrepreneurs. We intend to make a meta-network for peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge with all PSK microfactories and contribute to a learning culture with participants from across the globe. Our long term vision focuses on creating a cultural shift in how we view waste today, by working towards a future of equitable society with a maker culture and these microfactories become a space for creativity to be unbridled, to Take, Make, Create, Repair and Exchange,  keeping all resources in a loop. 

PlastiSkul creates a systemic shift, empowering waste workers. We utilise their unrecognised skills, upskilling them in new technologies, and building their capacity to become entrepreneurs creating fashion and home accessories, furniture, construction materials, the opportunities are endless! Our microfactory model is deployable across all municipalities and every site where plastic waste is a challenge, providing dignified livelihood to them. It has the potential to empower one of the weakest classes of our society into creating responsible, circular and financially-viable businesses, as currently being showcased in our pilots. An income increase of 150% has been reported by our pilot in India amongst other positive intangible impacts.

Founding Story: Share a story about the "Aha!" moment that led the founder(s) to get started or the story of how you saw the potential for this to succeed.

Plastiskul was destined to be. The Plastiskul founders did not know each other, didn't even know of each other, came from 7 different countries across 3 continents, and were in Paris, France for a Circular Economy in Plastics Packaging workshop. A quick introduction and brainstorming session, led this group to instantly connect with each other. There was a common purpose, admiration and respect for each other’s work, and need for technology transfers from each other for the countries we came from, and our common purpose to create a learning ground, a school for plastics, for everyone - PlastiSkul was born! I come from a background of working with wasteworkers at urban slums in India and felt with these technologies could build an immense impact to prepare people for circular jobs of the future as well as circular entrepreneurs. We all come together as a consortium and placed our technologies with this consortium to develop microfactories that can utilise the technologies that are most needed for the local needs of any territory. There was excitement and enthusiasm! But it took us 2 years after that first meeting to build a structure, understand expectations, formalise the consortium and launch our pilot programs. Today, we are more than certain about the need, viability and impact that a Plastiskul microfactory can achieve and that vision motivates me everyday!

Impact: How has your project made a difference so far? How is it contributing to a zero-carbon world- where every person thrives, and nobody gets left behind?

The production aspect of Plastiskul micro-factories acts as the solution in this circular economic model where technology enables transformation of plastic waste into raw material capable of being converted into diverse upcycled high end products without use of virgin natural resources. Each microfactory has the capacity to upcycle approx 2 tonnes of plastic waste per month, saving on almost 4.5 tonnes of emissions per month while increasing the income of wasteworkers by 150%.

Plastiskul aims at a cultural shift in how we view waste today. By adopting our model schools and institutions can normalise creativity through upcycling and nurturing creativity for a shift in systems. PSK microfactories aim at creating decentralised creative labs that encourage a makers culture. It also promotes the integration of wasteworkers, students, designers and entrepreneurs and help crack accelerating social divides.

Plastiskul has a focused social impact that can be reflected through the program that equips wasteworkers, especially women and youth from marginalised communities and gains upward mobility on social hierarchy by turning them into social entrepreneurs through the Plastiskul Micro-factory and preparing them for circular jobs of the future (currently being piloted in India with 25 wasteworkers being skilled in plastics recycling and upcycling and empowering them as a microenterprise).

What’s Next: What are your ideas for taking your project to the next level?

The plastiskul project is meant for scale. Decentralising the supply chain in-effect means several small units along a geography building cumulative impact. Every medium-large locality needs a Plastiskul microfactory! It would take different forms in the developed and developing parts of the world. 

In the developing parts of the world, we see these microfactories as the missing links in a circular supply chain. They can empower communities and decontaminate their surroundings. They can provide objects of value to these local communities - like construction tiles, toys, slippers etc. They can empower grassroots communities to become entrepreneurs.

In developed parts, we envision it to take on a more cultural role, where we rise as a society and Everyone is a Maker, a Creator. These microfactories would act as spaces where creativity flows unbridled and using these spaces would become as common as going to a coffee shop, where we can Take, Make, Repair and Exchange, keeping all resources (of Plastics and beyond) in this loop. 

These different worlds will be integrated. We imagine a peer-to-peer decentralised knowledge platform for the Plastiskul meta-network. This platform would enable all microfactories globally to interact with each other - share knowledge, new designs and inventions, fight the shackles of social classes, distance and limitations, and create in unity.

Your team: What is the current composition of your team (types of roles, qualifications, full-time vs. part-time, board members, etc.), and how do you plan to evolve the team’s composition as the project grows?

This collaborative project strengthens our determination to integrate knowledge and experience to create large scale impact. Our seed grant is by Perrier France and Indian pilot grant from an Indian corporate. The project was also immensely supported by So Science, France to ensure trust, structure and expectations management in this multi-country collaboration. We also firmly believe in the power of networks and our 8 Founding Board members also consist of an Ashoka Fellow and an Echoing Green Fellow. Currently, the PSK initiative is running operations from India and expanding the Indian pilot, with a team of 2 persons and an active Board of Founders. We are also active with Catalyst 2030 network, World Fair Trade Organization, Fab Labs and have had active collaborations with University of Berkeley, University of Colorado and SAP technologies for Plastiskul. We are actively engaging in the LiFE mission for behavioural change for Circular Economy for G20 by the Government of India.

Operational Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure operational sustainability.

The project has a proven operational sustainability model with multiple revenue streams. The microfactory is run as a community owned enterprise by a group of wasteworkers. It is adaptable to local needs to maximise impact. The microfactory runs multiple programs with separate revenue streams making it an evaluated self-sustaining model: - 

1. Sensitization and educational programs for schools - A field day is organised to the microfactory to learn about plastics recycling and exercises are given to the students to build their own product. A nominal fee per student is requested to cover the day’s expenses. 
2. Empowering wasteworkers- The microfactory is used a training ground for wasteworkers and artisans. The microfactory is rented out from the grant for training/skill building.
3. Wastepreneur Services- The plastic recycling marketing is growing at a fast pace and many micro and small entrepreneurs are looking for a piece of the pie but don’t always have the finances to meet the barriers for entry to this industry. PSK offers entry into this industry by offering moulds, prototypes and machinery that is leased out for short production runs for these entrepreneurs and offers them to become wastepreneurs with very low investments. 
4. Microfactory products- The microfactory also makes its own products- furniture, stationery, fabric, tiles etc, that are then sold to local clients and markets.

VIDEO: Please share the link to a 1-minute YouTube video that answers the following “I identify as a Green Changemaker because...”. Ensure that your video does not exceed 60 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63V5yWNSdKk&feature=youtu.be

Impact Model: While reviewing applications, we identified a need to better understand the impact models for the innovations that applied. How would you describe the activities you engage in and what outcomes and long-term impact do they lead to?

1. Educational programs - Influences to become changemakers start early and thus, it's essential to involve children and youth and create awareness for them on using waste as a resource and technologies and opportunities in this domain. Design colleges, industrial and manufacturing design colleges as well as engineering colleges have an interest in creating design labs and repair centers for students, designers and innovators to work together to prototype new solutions and create a Makers culture.
2. Empowering wasteworkers - Upskilling them to use technology to create high value products, making them modern-day entreprenurs or skilled workers for circular jobs of the future.
3. Wastepreneur Services -  PSK offers micro and small scale entreprenurs an opportunity for production with ready designs, moulds and prototypes without heavy investments.
4. Microfactory products - The microfactory also makes its own products ranging from stationery to tiles to fashion, that are then sold to local clients and markets.

The key stakeholders are microfactory owners (NGOs/ innovators/ entrepreneurs/ community enterprises/ Schools and Colleges), Waste Suppliers, workers and market.

Above outcomes are measured on different KPIs for each program like number of students reached/active in programs, number of wasteworkers trained, number of microenterprises created, increase in income of wasteworkers and amount of plastic recycled. All of these outcomes together, work in reducing plastic pollution in a locality, create a mindset change in how we view waste and help develop a market that supports green entrepreneurship for the green enterprises of tomorrow. At the grassroots level, it helps uplift the wasteworkers to the formal economy where they can have livelihoods of dignity.

Audience: Who are you most directly impacting through your work? Who is the target beneficiary? Please specify if the population you are reaching is underserved due to any of the following characteristics?

ReligionAge - Youth Gender Socio-Economic Class

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

Class - Wasteworkers generally come from backward classes, historically known as the untouchables. which this concept has been abolished, its still prevalent in lower socio-economic classes.

How are you activating green changemakers?

Building Understanding: communicating complex science, data and / or systems theory surrounding climate change in an accessible way, tailored to the specific audience and context Imagining new possibilities: leading group processes to help people see the possibilities and consequences of acting; innovating new products, business models, or ways of organising Walking alongside individuals: offering one-on-one coaching, mentoring and troubleshooting; providing sustained energy to shift the inertia of the system Helping make the case: helping people to show the business case for emission reduction, find profitable products, innovating new business models Creating a community: bringing together peers to share learnings, reinforce behaviours, and develop positive social norms; hosting gatherings where people see their work as part of a bigger whole

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

Organization Type: Which organization type best describes how your work or initiative has been organized or registered?

Nonprofit/NGO

Tell us briefly about how you have and/ or would like to engage partners or other changemakers to enhance your approach:

Plastiskul is a model of collaboration. In our vision, we are looking to create a meta-network of innovators who can share ideas, new designs, new materials across this network - from designers, enthusiasts and implementers to share ideas across boundaries. To make this vision possible, we continously seek new collaborations with changemakers across the globe who are working with the plastic waste value chain, creating technologies, working with target communities to create change. For every project, we have a local partner inchange of the on-ground implementation of the program. We also seek collaborations with research universities so that we could help pilot and commercialise new technologies that have been built in this space. We seek support from local government bodies to provide us access to clean waste and wasteworkers who could implement this decentralised network of managing the waste supply chain and making it circular. We have a collaboration with the Plastic Recycling Association of India, to conduct placements for wasteworkers who have been trained. Similarly, we have several buyers like Paper High (UK), Artisans Du Monde (France) who are active buyers of sustainably made products. More such collaborations would enhance the impact of the project by reaching more onground target beneficiaries as well as utilise more plastic waste from the environment.

Annual budget: Hint: What is the cost for your current operations every year (or most recent year)? This is expenditure for your project or organization. The reference currency is the U.S. dollar.

$50k - $100k

Winning Impact Potential: How would winning the Green Changemakers Challenge impact and leverage your work?

Winning the Green Changemakers Challenge would greatly impact our work! We are looking for gap funding for our ongoing India project. At the moment, we have been able to raise funding for the purchase of 2 machines and training of 20 wasteworkers for this community-owned microenterprise. We need to install 2 more machines and provide advanced business functions training and provide further stability to market to this group for it to start becoming a self-sustaining enterprise. The mentor training session with HSBC would also go a long way in refining this program and creating templates for replication in other geographies. Beyond this immediate impact, the peer to peer connects that we are forming with other changemakers would enable us to collaborate, improve and implement this project for scaled impact. Personally, Ashoka’s mentoring and courses have had a deep impact on my thinking and I feel the Plastiskul team has also evolved through this journey and what's to come with winning the Green Changemakers Challenge.

Skills Matching: If you win, you may have the opportunity to be matched with HSBC employees for skill-based mentorship. If matched, which of the following skills would you be most interested in receiving?

Program Design