Bank It, Don’t Bin It
All garbage cannot be eliminated overnight, and we understand the importance of safely managing waste until we have better systemic solutions to fight plastic pollution and the larger adoption of sustainable practices. Through our program, ‘Bank It, Don’t Bin It’, we set up recycling and collection banks in societies and organisations to safely manage non-recyclable and recyclable plastic, dry waste and e-waste.
76787.25kg
Milk bags & Recyclable plastic
34251.08kg
MLP/LVP
7865.46kg
E-Waste
48654.2kg
Other dry waste
*Low-Value Plastic (LVP) -This includes single-use plastics such as noodle packets, non-woven fabric/bags (Polypropylene), poly bags, thermocol, and more.
**Multi-Layer Packaging (MLP) - A composite packaging material made from layers of two or three different materials including plastics and aluminium. This includes sachets, biscuit and chips wrappers and more
Low-Value Plastics Collection
One of the many causes of year-round pollution in Delhi NCR is the burning of low-value plastics (LVP) and multi-layered packaging (MLP) as recycling these is not financially feasible. They remain in the garbage dumps where they are often burned, creating toxic fumes, or end up in landfills. In 2019, GFI started the program with housing societies in Gurgaon to collect LVP/MLP and help divert it for road making through KK Plastic, thus attempting to ensure that little to no plastic reaches the landfills.
The Milk Bag Project
Milk bags are a product of daily use. Due to the poor disposal of these, our beaches, nullahs, and drains get choked! The Milk Bag Project, a collaboration between Har Ghar Hara Ghar, Clean Mumbai Foundation and Garbage Free India, started in Cuffe Parade (and neighbouring areas), Mumbai in 2019 to divert milk bags from our water bodies and landfills.
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Recyclable Dry Waste Collection (Kabadi)
Dry recyclable waste (Kabadi) such as cardboard, paper, aluminium cans, and glass, are collected door-to-door by kabadiwalas (raddiwalas). The kabadiwala segregates them and sells them to aggregators who then sell them toend-recyclers. GFI, works with residents to collect the dry recyclables from homes and gives them to the kabadiwala on a weekly basis. Our program involves upgrading the lives of kabadiwalas by helping them get bulk quantities. We do not connect directly with recyclers higher up in the chain for high-value recyclable waste.
GFI uses the funds earned from this kabadi to support teacher salaries at Freepathshala, a school for underprivileged children of migrant construction workers.
* Kabadiwalas or raddiwalas are unorganised door-to-door dry waste collectors
E-Waste Collection Drives
In 2020, 1,014,961 tonnes* of e-waste was generated in India. Electronic waste contains numerous toxic chemicals and components that can cause serious harm to the environment and human health if not recycled responsibly. All E-waste must be given to authorised e-waste recyclers only.
GFI volunteers conduct sessions to raise awareness among residents and run e-waste collection drives in communities in Mumbai and Gurgaon. GFI has partnered with Chintan for responsible e-waste disposal/recycling in Gurgaon and with Throwko in Mumbai.
* source- science.thewire.in/