"The use of plastic waste in roads is an emerging technology spreading worldwide, through either pilot projects or roads that are in use"

Source - Plastic Waste In Road Construction: A Path Worth Paving? - World Bank

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"The amount of mismanaged waste (including plastic) across South Asia is projected to double to 661 million tons by 2050"

Source - Youth Voices on Marine Plastic Pollution in South Asia

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"The argument for gender-inclusive waste management is not just rights-based but also economic"

Source - World Bank

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The Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project, implemented by the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP), funded by the World Bank, and supported by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), is a pioneering regional initiative addressing the critical issue of plastic pollution in South Asia. From 2020 to 2025, the five-year project has invested USD 37 million to enhance the innovation and coordination of circular plastic economy approaches across South Asia, involving the public, private sector, and non-government stakeholders.
Covering eight member countries of SACEP: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the PLEASE project primarily focuses on:
(1) Improving the identification and testing of plastic pollution mitigation solutions,
(2) Increasing the leveraging of policy solutions and public-private sector engagement in plastic pollution, waste, and leakage mitigation across the value chain, and
(3) Strengthening regional integration institutions.

Grantees

Bangladesh Petrochemical Company Limited (BPCL) was awarded a Regional Competitive...
Towards a comprehensive and human-centred plastic waste management approach in...
The Arannayk Foundation has been awarded an Innovation Grant (IG)...
The RedOrange Communications to the PLEASE Community has been awarded...
The Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), University of Chittagong (CU)...
Bhutan Waste Banks (BWB): An innovative way to reduce, reuse...
The Bhutan Ecological Society (BES) has been awarded a Regional...
Clean Bhutan was awarded the Innovation Grant to implement sustainable...
Eco Waste Solution was awarded the Innovation Grant to implement...
Green Roads was awarded the Innovation Grant to implement sustainable...
Reduce and Intercept, Value add through the Establishment of a...
CAP: Collaborative Approach for Preventing Plastic Leakages in Rivers As...
Centre for Integrated Urban Development from Nepal was awarded an...
Department of Applied Sciences & Chemical Engineering, Tribhuvan University from...
Doko Recyclers Private Limited from Nepal was awarded an Innovation...
From Waste to Credits; Circularity in Plastic Waste Management Altas...
Trash has Value – Recycling plastic waste to Eco green...
Davaam Life from Pakistan was awarded an Innovation Grant (IG)...
Otium from Pakistan was awarded an Innovation Grant (IG) to...
Building a Blue Lanka by Uplifting Communities- BLUECAP Negombo Recycling...
The Island Climate Initiative was awarded a Regional Competitive Block...
Chakra Suthra from Sri Lanka was awarded an Innovation Grant...
INSEE Ecocycle from Sri Lanka was awarded an Innovation Grant...
Save a Life from Sri Lanka was awarded an Innovation...
Proposal for Improving the wellbeing of H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi people...
Formalizing the Plastic Recycling Value Chain to Ensure Steady Collection...
CLEAN Maldives from Maldives was awarded an Innovation Grant (IG)...
Community Empowerment Linkage (CEL) from Maldives was awarded an Innovation...

EXPLORE OUR WORK

OVERVIEW

Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) is a regional initiative executed by SACEP, aimed at enhancing innovation and coordination of circular economy solutions to tackle plastic pollution in South Asian Seas. The project encompasses eight South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In total, 28 grants have been awarded through the project, consisting of 12 Regional Block Grants and 16 Innovation Grants.

Statistics

297

Supported Women Enterprises

49

Number of Innovations

1,77,210

People Reach for Plastic Pollution Mitigation

580

Decent Jobs Created

10.39 Mil KG

Total Plastic Recovered

6,54,303 KG

Total Plastic Recycled

28

Number of Grants

12

Number of Regional Block Grants

16

Number of Innovation Grants

6,667

Informal Waste Workers Supported

SHARING IS CARING

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