Plastic Safari

Problem Statement

India generates over 15,000 tons of plastic waste per day—the equivalent of nearly 2,800 African elephants in weight. Unlike organic waste, plastics do not degrade quickly and persist for up to 450 years. The massive gap in awareness, especially among youth, contributes to unsustainable consumption patterns and mismanagement of plastic waste.   

Contributors

Satyam Shukla, Rohan Shah, Suvesha Chandrasekaran, Anool Mahidharia, Zarvan Elavia, Johan Pais, Vineeth Nair, Darshan Shah, Altaf Bhai, Achakunju, Joshua Rodrigues, Nitish Bhaskaran, Rushad Damania, Richa Shrivastava, Vaibhav Chhabra

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About Plastic Safari

Solution

  Plastic Safari is a mobile educational initiative designed to create awareness about plastic waste and resource management among children—the future drivers of behavioural change. The Safari comprises: A brief curriculum developed by Academy of Earth Sustainability A mobile demonstration lab mounted on a tempo An engaging "wash it - dry it - shred it - extrude it - 3D print it" process for recycling plastic waste The process lets children actively participate in the transformation of waste plastic into usable 3D-printed objects—making the learning tactile, memorable, and empowering. The recycling concept is inspired by the open-source Precious Plastic initiative, adapted by Maker’s Asylum into a lab-on-wheels for outreach and learning. 

Additional Info

How It Works Wash – Clean the plastic waste Dry – Remove moisture Shred – Break plastic into small granules Extrude – Convert granules into filament 3D Print – Create new objects from recycled plastic Children witness this transformation and get to create objects, reinforcing the possibility of reuse and the importance of segregation at source. Impact Reached 4,500+ students across Schools in Mumbai Built awareness among thousands of households indirectly through children Fostered partnerships with: Hindustan Unilever (HUL) XYNTEO RaddiConnect Academy of Earth Sustainability Maker’s Asylum Plastic Safari is now a model for scalable educational outreach on sustainability and circular economy.

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