RiPL - Preventing plastic in Nepal rivers

The Project will identify where plastic leaks into Nepal rivers and strengthen the informal sector to capture more plastic for recycling, diverting it from landfills and open dumping and increasing its value in the waste value chain.

As the population of Kathmandu increases, plastic usage and waste generation are also growing. Approaches to managing waste in the capital include unorganized dumping and open burning. On average, 48% of municipalities' waste is landfilled, 32% is burnt, and 27% is openly dumped on riversides.

The informal sector plays a crucial role in waste management in Nepal, and several plastic fractions are already collected. However, a facility for the final processing of high and low-quality plastics is still needed.

The RiPL project aims to set up plastic collection points along rivers to reduce the amount of plastic in the rivers. The plastic will be transported to a small-scale, locally run pilot plastic recycling facility which will be implemented as part of the Project. When the plastic has value, it will be collected, not thrown into the environment.

Many of the estimated 10,000–15,000 waste pickers working in Kathmandu Valley are women, but they are among the most marginalized. There is an enormous untapped potential to increase the capture of plastic by increasing the capacity of the informal waste sector, especially women.

Project activities

• identify the primary sources of plastic entering rivers in Kathmandu Valley
• map the challenges that Informal Waste Workers are facing
• increase the recyclability and value of plastics
• build the capacity of women in the informal waste sector
• communicate and raise awareness on the ability of women informal waste workers to reduce plastics