Pet Waste Collection & Recycling Project​

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Pet Waste Collection & Recycling Project

by Ganesha Overseas Pvt. Ltd. at Nepal

The PET Waste Collection & Recycling Project by Ganesha Overseas Pvt. Ltd. in Nepal is a critical initiative aimed at addressing Nepal’s plastic waste management challenges. With the country generating approximately 150,000 MT of plastic waste annually, 40% of which is PET waste, this project focuses on reducing environmental pollution, promoting sustainable recycling practices, and improving working conditions for waste pickers. The project is supported by GEM Enviro Management and adheres to Verra’s standards for plastic waste reduction, aiming to issue plastic credits before the end of the year.

Project

PET Plastic Waste Collection & Recycling

Duration

Ongoing, with the goal of issuing plastic credits by year-end.

Categories

Waste Collection & Recycling, Environmental Sustainability, Social Development (support for waste pickers and stakeholders)

Collection Capacity

15,000 MT/year of PET plastic waste.

Recycling Capacity

14,000 MT/year (yielding: 12,600 MT/year of PET/Polyester Chips/Flakes & 1,400 MT/year of scrap material.)

Project Overview

Just as in other parts of the world, plastic waste management has become one of the most crucial issues also in Nepal. The Nepal Government has issued the Solid Waste Management National Policy, 2022. However, there is no specific plastic waste management rules or ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR) mechanism in Nepal. Therefore, most of the plastic waste doesn’t get segregated and remains part of the mixed solid waste. This mixed waste goes to the landfill (mostly non-scientific landfills, leading to problems of leaching and fire due to generation of methane gas). Open burning of waste is also prevalent. This collection and recycling project is very important from the point of view of environment as it would save not only the land fill space (most of the used bottles are presently finding its way towards land fill or dumped in water bodies) but also maintain the ecology, which is getting imbalanced due to harms of plastic littering.

According to various reports and data available in Nepal, the country generates 1,50,00 MT of plastic waste. About 40% of this is estimated to be PET waste, that is 60,000 MT. The Ganesha project collects 15000 MT/Year of PET plastic waste. The project’s recycling capacity is 14,000 MT/Year; out of this, 12,600 MT/Year is production of PET/ Polyester Chips/ Flakes and 1400 MT/Year is production of scraps.

Need for Plastic Credit

This collection and recycling project would lead to improvement of PET waste collection network in Nepal because of its size (~12000 MT/Yr). The project would establish the processes for raw material sourcing and quality control. This would indirectly lead to better prices for the waste pickers. The project would also conduct various training and development programs for its stakeholders. This would help create better working conditions for the front-line workers.

Hence, to carry out all the above initiatives properly and for long term, the availability of the plastic credit would be of great help. The plastic credit would also help towards initiatives related to improvement in the plant’s operation and maintenance (O&M) for better operational efficiency, product quality and towards future upgradation of the plant.

Our Role

GEM Enviro Management is the consultant to Ganesha for the development of the plastic credit project. Verra, a leading global organization that develops and manages standards on plastic waste reduction has laid down the rules for claiming waste collection credits and waste recycling credits. Plastic credit represents one metric ton of plastic waste that has been collected and/or recycled. The Ganesha project is currently listed on the Verra Registry and is looking to complete the registration process and issue plastic credits before the end of this year.

Highlights of the Ganesha Project

Project Overview:

  • Ganesha Project focuses on collecting and recycling PET plastic waste.
  • Current collection capacity: 15,000 MT/year.
  • Recycling capacity: 14,000 MT/year, producing:
    • 12,600 MT/year of PET/Polyester Chips/Flakes.
    • 1,400 MT/year of scraps. 

Environmental Impact:

  • Aims to reduce landfill usage and prevent plastic from entering water bodies.
  • Addresses ecological imbalances caused by plastic littering.
  • Reduces open burning of waste, mitigating air pollution and methane generation.

Economic Benefits:

  • Improved PET waste collection network, enhancing market prices for waste pickers.
  • Establishes processes for raw material sourcing and quality control.
  • Supports training and development programs for stakeholders, enhancing working conditions.

Need for Plastic Credits:

  • Plastic credits will facilitate better operational efficiency and plant maintenance.
  • Credits support future plant upgrades and sustainability initiatives.
  • Each plastic credit represents one metric ton of plastic waste collected and/or recycled.

Consulting and Standards:

  • GEM Enviro Management serves as the consultant for the project.
  • Project adheres to standards set by Verra for claiming waste collection and recycling credits.
  • Currently listed on the Verra Registry, with aims to complete registration and issue plastic credits by year-end.