Earth5R has launched a series of Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop across India. The citizens volunteers team has been conducting various workshops using Earth5R App, which is available for free on Android and iPhone devices.
A step towards achieving sustainable development Earth5R —a tech-first environmental organization based in Mumbai, India, starts a project based on circular economy principles focusing on waste management and recycling. This project empowered local communities, particularly women, who worked on paper waste and converted it to products that could be sold in the market.
Earth5R worked with local NGOs in all parts of Mumbai to involve the people, conduct recycling and upcycling workshops, and promote circular economic activities that dealt with urban waste management and provided additional income for low-income families. Here’s a detailed look at this unique project’s benefits and long-term impact.
Why Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop?
Global Waste Generation: Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In 2020, the global direct cost of waste management was an estimated USD 252 billion as per the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) International Solid Waste Association.
Waste Generation in India: As of the 2021-22 fiscal year, India generated approximately 170,338 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid waste, with 91,512 TPD undergoing treatment. This indicates that a substantial portion of waste remains untreated, often ending up in landfills.
Landfilling Challenges:
- Overfilled Landfills: Many landfills have exceeded capacity, forming towering “trash mountains”. Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill had grown to over 65 meters in height and crashed, creating health issues.
- Environmental Pollution: Landfills cause soil and water ground pollution through leachate and emit harmful gases, such as methane, which increases the effect of global warming.
- Health Hazards: Communities near landfills face increased health risks such as respiratory diseases and other diseases when exposed to pollutants.
To mitigate these challenges, the Indian government has implemented several initiatives.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Swachh Bharat Mission
- Plastic Waste Management Rules
Even though these efforts are made issues still exist due to inadequate infrastructures, low public awareness, etc. Hence workshops on recycling and upcycling aim to solve the waste management issue by tackling it at the source.
Both the demand for and the production of paper are rising. Ultimately, a lot of waste paper will be produced. At least 24 trees are required to generate one ton of paper. These waste recycling and upcycling workshops also create awareness about the simpler ways of recycling and upcycling waste.
What is Upcycling?
Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is a process in which waste materials or unwanted products are converted into items of more value. Unlike recycling, which dissolves materials into their raw components, upcycling focuses on the creative reuse of material or an item through repurposing for different uses. Upcycling helps reduce the waste sent to landfills, this also lowers the demand for new raw materials.
What is Recycling?
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing substances which would have been be wasted otherwise, and transforming them into new products. In contrast to upcycling, recycling involves breaking down the material to its raw form most of the time. Recycling saves energy compared to producing new products from raw materials, This also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manages waste sustainably.
What happens during Paper Recycling and Upcycling?
The paper recycling process involves the collection and treatment of waste paper in order to make paper products, which is as below :
- Waste paper is collected and sorted
- The sorted paper is shredded into small pieces and mixed with water to create a slurry or pulp.
- The pulp is cleaned to remove ink, adhesives, and other contaminants.
- If white paper or lighter-colored paper products are desired then the pulp is bleached.
- The cleaned and bleached pulp is spread out on large screens, pressed, and dried to form sheets of paper.
- These sheets are then rolled up and sent to paper mills to be converted into new paper products.
Recycled paper can be turned into a variety of new products, such as cardboard, newspaper, printer paper, tissue, and even construction materials.
Paper upcycling, aims at re-using old or waste paper by making new products of decorative or useful nature without disintegrating it into pulp. The paper can be cut and embellished creatively or simply used in a different form to create something more valuable. Upcycled paper products include art pieces, stationery, handmade jewellery, decorative items, and home decor.
Why Citizen Involvement is Important?
Citizen involvement is essential for the success of recycling and upcycling workshops because community participation amplifies the impact and sustainability of these initiatives. This is because such initiatives become more effective and lasting over time with the inclusiveness of the community.
When people are engaged they realise the need for waste minimization and sustainable practices in which they have to play a major role. Workshops are interactive, enabling the participants to appreciate the nature of waste and the importance of materials in use.
When an individual participates in recycling or upcycling workshop, it is no longer only a waste which is meant to be put in a bin. This shift in thinking motivates the citizens to better practice waste segregation, lower the amount of waste they produce, and help out in local recycling efforts. When the waste is segregated accordingly by the citizens, the process of recycling is made easier and more productive due to lower chances of contamination and better quality of recyclables.
Encouraging citizens participation in recycling and upcycling workshop activities turns environmental practices into a collective responsibility of the community leading to improvement in the awareness, sense of responsibility and the creativity of the members with emphasis on the elimination of waste and benefiting the society and the economy. Community participation is central in ensuring that sustainability is enhanced over time and there are created communities that are efficient in using resources.
Empowering Women for Sustainable Livelihood
Phase 1: Citizen Engagement in Waste Collection and Education
The initiative started with a comprehensive training course on waste management and recycling for the residents of the high-rise apartment buildings in Andheri East, Mumbai. Earth5R taught people about the importance of waste segregation and in particular, recycling paper waste. This stage was important for conducting the waste recycling and Upcycling Workshops.
Participants were trained to collect and separate paper waste effectively, with Earth5R providing designated waste collection containers.
Over a month, about 1.5 tons of paper waste such as old magazines, office papers, and notebooks were gathered from the people of Mumbai. This citizen-led waste collection initiative demonstrated the power of environmentalism from within the communities themselves.
As such, Earth5R encouraged the public to participate in the management of waste, which in turn created a campaign for sustainable lifestyles and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) awareness. This initiative aligns with the Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to creating sustainable urban solutions.
Phase 2: Empowering Women Through Upcycling Training
Once the paper waste was collected, Earth5R transported the material to R.A. Colony in Goregaon, a densely populated neighborhood in Mumbai, India. In association with some local NGOs, Earth5R initiated a series of recycling workshops in which women turned raw waste paper into ornamental handicrafts. This series of workshops highlighted green recycling methods, including creating bowls and containers using paper mache techniques.
The Waste Recycling and Upcycling workshops provided numerous benefits:
● Skill Development: Women acquired skills that would enable them to produce recyclable handicrafted goods for sale from sustainable materials.
● Self-Confidence and Empowerment: Many participants gained confidence through their new skills, understanding the value of recycling and circular economy principles.
● Environmental Awareness: Participants became advocates for waste management and recycling, learning the importance of environmental sustainability.
Focusing on the use of natural adhesives, i.e., wheat flour, rice paste rather than synthetic chemical up-cycled methodology, ensured that the entire up cycling exercise was facilitated by Earth5R. This further strengthened CSR and ESG ideals that every waste management program technology can be made environmentally friendly.
Phase 3: Creating Economic Value Through Circular Economy
The trained women produced around 7,500 items, primarily bowls and containers, from the 1.5 tons of paper waste. Earth5R helped them sell these products in local markets across Mumbai, with each item priced at an average of 70 Indian rupees. This Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop and the circular economy project generated an income of 525,000 INR (7,500 items x 70 INR average each), creating economic stability for the families involved.
The economic benefits of this recycling initiative included:
● Increased Household Income: Many participating families experienced improved financial security through income generated by selling the upcycled products.
● Financial Independence for Women: The project enabled women to contribute financially and thus helped them to achieve gender balance and social inclusion.
● Sustainable Community Development: By integrating women into local markets, Earth5R created a circular economy ecosystem whereby waste is always reused creating job opportunities for many years.
Environmental and Social Impact
The environmental impact of this project is profound. By recycling 1.5 tons of paper waste, Earth5R contributed to sustainable waste management in Mumbai, reducing the environmental burden on local landfills and conserving natural resources like water, energy, and trees.
This Waste Recycling and Upcycling project is a great example of CSR and ESG in practice. Because it shows how the community contributed to solving environmental issues by resorting to recycling.
The social impact was equally significant. Earth5R’s program was successful in implementing women empowerment by offering them useful skills and a new way to earn money, thereby social inclusion for economic development.
By introducing waste management and recycling skills, Earth5R promoted sustainable livelihoods while reinforcing environmental awareness.
Through its circular economy model, Earth5R was not only able to provide means of subsistence to the economically disadvantaged families in Mumbai but also encouraged a culture of recycling and care for the environment of its community members. This community-focused approach to waste management offers a practical example of how CSR and ESG initiatives can provide benefits that can arise from the applications of CSR and ESG strategies.
A Blueprint for Scalable Circular Economy Projects
Earth5R’s Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop project serves as a scalable model for waste management and circular economy initiatives that can be implemented in other urban areas. Community engagement, recycling training workshops, and economic empowerment are embedded into the waste management solution designed by Earth5R which benefits the people for a long period.
This Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop project provides solutions to waste management problems and at the same time aligns with ESG objectives, proving that CSR initiatives can create meaningful change.
There is scope for scaling up this model in other cities that are also facing similar challenges with waste management. In this way, wastage can be converted into a productive resource thereby promoting sustainability.
Earth5R’s success demonstrates how CSR and ESG projects can have a positive impact, encouraging other organizations to adopt community-centered waste management practices.
Impact Summary
- Paper Waste Collected: 1.5 tons
- Upcycled Products Created: 7,500 items
- Income Generated: 525,000 INR (at 70 INR per item)
- Families Empowered: 300
- Environmental Savings: Reduction in resources for paper production, lowering water and energy use
Earth5R’s circular economy initiative in Mumbai is a clear indication of the power of community-led sustainability. This project not only approached waste management in Mumbai but also uplifted the local community by establishing a self-sustaining income-generating activity in recycling.
By educating and engaging citizens, training artisans, and linking products to the market, Earth5R provided a complete solution that is in line with CSR and ESG principles.
As cities worldwide confront waste management challenges, the “circular economy” model of development proposed by Earth5R is an operational model for urban development, especially in waste management for the cities of the world today. Cities can turn waste into resources, reduce environmental impact, and promote social empowerment.
Through this Waste Recycling and Upcycling Workshop initiative, Earth5R showcases that recycling and circular economy are not just concepts but viable, transformative pathways to a sustainable future.
This project enables organizations to deliver on their CSR and ESG commitments but also shows the possible outcomes of community-driven waste management in achieving economic and environmental sustainability.
Join Earth5R’s next workshop, Download our app which is available for free on Android and iPhone devices.