Waste Flow Tools
Waste flow tools offer cities the analytical guidance they need to create, manage and sustain effective solid waste management systems in response to growing urban populations. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Analysing waste flow helps cities establish priorities for plastic action. MORE INFORMATION: See the Plastic Smart Cities Smart Guide on Baseline Assessments. THE PROBLEM Solid waste management is one of […]
Thread
Thread transforms plastic bottles into sustainable fabric, and partners with mainstream brands to produce clothing apparel products. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Industry KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Thread collects and processes plastic bottles into fabric in Haiti and Honduras. MORE INFORMATION: https://threadinternational.com/ THE PROBLEM Single-use plastic bottles continue to pollute the environment and find pathways to the marine ecosystem. THE SOLUTION Thread collects plastic bottles from […]
The Great Bubble Barrier
The Great Bubble Barrier® intercepts plastic waste before it reaches our oceans by implementing Bubble Barriers that direct waste to the side of the river in its catchment system. TARGET USERS: Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: The first Bubble Barrier was installed in Amsterdam in November 2019. Beforehand, a pilot was conducted to test the Bubble Barrier’s efficiency and showed that […]
Sweepsmart
Sweepsmart is an end-to-end segregated waste management system for emerging and developing countries. TARGET USERS: Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Tailored solutions for developing countries, with consideration for the specific waste challenges found in these countries. MORE INFORMATION: https://www.sweepsmart.org/ THE PROBLEM In countries like India and Indonesia, most waste is openly burnt or dumped, polluting streets, rivers, nature and our […]
Smart Sensors and Digitalization
Smart sensors in waste bins can optimize the process of waste collection, thereby increasing collection rates and reducing downstream waste management costs. TARGET USERS: Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Smart sensors can be incorporated with fleet management and intelligent routing software for a comprehensive waste collection process. MORE INFORMATION: Publication, “Smart garbage monitoring system using sensors” THE PROBLEM 90% of […]
Single-use Plastic Levy
Single-use plastic levies place taxes on items like plastic bags, bottles and food packaging to deter their use. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Price modulation that adjusts cost modelling by businesses or consumers seek to shift usage patterns. MORE INFORMATION: See UNEP Report, page 65 THE PROBLEM Single-use plastic products (SUPs) are used once, or for a short period of […]
Shoreliner
The Shoreliner is a collection system for floating plastic debris in ports, rivers and other waterways. TARGET USERS: Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: The Shoreliner is being developed in The Netherlands, and has launched a pilot with the Port of Rotterdam. MORE INFORMATION: https://www.tauw.com/news/news/shoreliner-voted-most-sustainable-port-project.html THE PROBLEM More and more plastic waste is ending up in our oceans and seas. The […]
River Watch
River Watch (Sungai Watch in Indonesia) is an online platform that uses GIS mapping and artificial intelligence to monitor plastic river cleanups. TARGET USERS: Businesses and Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Sungai Watch is deployed in tandem with floating booms that trap plastic debris in rivers for collection, processing and recycling; pilots are currently launched in Bali, Indonesia. MORE INFORMATION: https://makeachange.world/sungaiwatch […]
Source Segregation
Source Segregation by regulatory instrument establishes rules that govern the quality of garbage collection at the household or institutional level, and that can mandate or incentivize waste stream separation at the source of generation. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Source Segregation reduces the upstream sorting cost and ensures that downstream recyclers receive clean feedstock, thus […]
Reuse Models
Reusable containers and packaging eliminate the need for single-use plastic items in all sectors. TARGET USERS: Individuals, Businesses, Industry, Government KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Globally, replacing just 20% of single-use plastic packaging with reusable alternatives offers an opportunity worth at least USD 10 billion. Reuse models can bring major user and business benefits including superior user experiences, user insights, brand […]