At SDC, we recognize the critical need for responsible waste management and champion the cause of a circular economy. By promoting recycling, upcycling and waste reduction strategies; and organizing community clean-ups, we aim to alleviate the burden on landfills and foster a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.
Circular Economy Projects by SDC are largely centered around the problem of plastic pollution and addressing the same through innovative and collaborative approaches. These aim to:
We have implemented several of these projects in the Himalayan region, the major ones of which are listed below.
1. Plastic Wapsi Abhiyan with Nagar Nigam Dehradun & Dehradun Smart City Limited, Government of Uttarakhand
SDC organized two successful editions of the Plastic Wapsi Abhiyan (a campaign to promote source segregation and activate behavioral change) which saw the participation of more than 50,000 school students in Dehradun. The first edition was implemented in collaboration with Dehradun Smart City Limited, whereas the second edition was rolled out with Nagar Nigam Dehradun.
Plastic Banks were installed in more than 100 schools in Dehradun encouraging school students, teachers and supporting staff to segregate single use plastic waste at their homes and ensure its scientific collection and recycling. The participants were also educated about the concept of sustainable living and minimizing the use of single use plastic.
(SDC Co-Founder Pyare Lal, with segregated plastic waste en route to its recycling journey)
(Students actively engaging in the single use plastic segregation and collection process)
(Praveen Upreti, SDC Community Outreach Associate, with school students)
2. Plastic Mukt Mussoorie Project with Nestle India
SDC conducted the first of its kind study on the scenic Dehradun to Mussoorie highway that looked at the state of plastic waste management in the roadside shacks - popularly known as Maggi points. Keeping in mind the influx of tourists in the region, the study found some alarming trends concerning the collection and disposal of plastic waste such as wrappers, disposables, polythene bags and more.
This led to a collaboration between SDC and Nestle India to install plastic banks in more than 200 such Maggi points. SDC also designed an advocacy and education programme informed by the findings from the study. Diverse groups of stakeholders such as taxi unions, tourists, municipal corporations, sanitation workers, social workers, media groups, and citizens were brought together to address the issue of plastic pollution in the hill station. The project lasted for a period of close to one year, until the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
(SDC team members at one of the Maggi points on the Dehradun-Mussoorie route)
(SDC team members en route the Dehradun-Mussoorie route collecting plastic from Maggi points)
3. Awareness Campaigns, Source Segregation & Behaviour Change Initiatives
3A. Campaign on Plastic Free F&B Sector with FSSAI & FDA, Government of Uttarakhand
SDC collaborated with FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of India) and FDA (Food & Drugs Administration), Government of Uttarakhand, in its campaign on reducing single use plastic in the food and beverage sector in Uttarakhand. SDC was entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out capacity building sessions for FBOs (cafes, hotels, restaurants, caterers, street hawkers) on plastic waste management. They were also sensitized on food wastage and the disposal of used cooking oil, which is extremely harmful for human health and the environment.
(Food Business Operators meet in Dehradun on plastic waste management and sustainable used cooking oil disposal)
3B. Beat Plastic Pollution Campaign with UKPCB & Forest Department
In 2018, SDC conducted a week-long awareness and action campaign on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5) along with the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board and the Forest Department. We shared messages on source segregation, 3Rs and sustainable alternatives; and designed infographics, creatives, one pagers and blogs as a part of the campaign.
(Prerna Raturi, Lead Research & Documentation at SDC, segregating plastic waste)
3C. Stop Littering Our Himalayas (SLOH)
SLOH was rolled out with one of India's leading trekking companies (Indiahikes) operating in the Himalayan ecosystem. The campaign engaged with the community of trekkers in Uttarakhand who play a crucial role in maintaining waste management systems at trekking destinations.
4. Plastic Bank Project with Airbus India
Most recently, SDC has collaborated with Airbus, a leading global aeronautics and space company, to set up 300 Plastic Banks in Dehradun. This initiative is a three pronged, citizen-led 'awareness, segregation and behavior change' program that focusses on plastic waste. To know more, click here.
