The Plastics For Change (PFC) India Foundation, which is working to develop and improve the quality of life of informal waste-collectors in Karnataka, has launched an innovative and environmentally sustainable project that converts hard-to-recycle plastic waste into building material that can be used to construct low-cost shelter.
The foundation has built Karnataka’s first environmentally friendly Recycled Plastic House at Pachanady in Mangaluru. The collection of low value plastic for this application helps to increase income opportunities for waste-pickers/ waste-collectors, said Shifrah Jacobs, Chief Impact Officer, PFC India Foundation.
We are currently running social development programs in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Karwar, Udupi, Hubballi and Dharwad region respectively and have provided support to approximately 10,000 waste-pickers across Karnataka so far. We are currently running social development programs in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Karwar, Udupi, Hubballi and Dharwad region respectively and have provided support to approx 10,000 waste-pickers across Karnataka so far.
Two of the many communities that we are working with are located in Pachanady and Kurikatta, Mangaluru. The foundation has initiated multiple holistic interventions for the community here ranging from helping them gain access to social securities and identities, bank accounts and financial literacy, running health awareness and camps, education for children, nutrition for families, as well as conducting Covid-19 relief drives providing them with food rations and PPE kits,” she said adding that they have plans to construct 20 more houses in the second phase.
Project coordinator Jayanthi M said that the first recycled plastic house of Karnataka built at Pachanady was handed over to a waste picker in Mangaluru. “The 350 sqmt house was constructed in association with a Hyderabad-based construction partner ‘Bamboo Projects’ at a cost of Rs 4.5 lakh within 15 days. We have plans to provide more houses to those economically weaker sections if the government identifies land. The construction cost can be reduced to Rs 3.5 lakh if more houses are constructed at a time,” she said and added that 1500 kg of plastic is used for producing the panels used for construction of the house.