Community development through plastic waste valorization, Medellin

Context & Challenge:

• Medellín, the second-largest city in Colombia faces significant challenges with flexible plastics, with less than 2% being properly collected and recycled. These plastics often end up in landfills or are incinerated, posing environmental and health risks.

Our Intervention:

• rePurpose Outcomes Lab deployed a program to fix the value chain for flexible plastics
  by engaging and empowering local communities. This involved working with schools and other institutions to train individuals to run local plastic collection centers. This grassroots approach ensured community involvement and ownership of the program.
• Funding was mobilized to support the cost of collecting, transporting, sorting, and recycling soft, low-value plastics, ensuring the sustainability of the project.
• Collected plastics were recycled into plastic wood, which was then used to create furniture, recreation parks and amenities for schools, as well as to build houses for vulnerable communities in the local area.

Key Outcomes:

• The program significantly increased the collection and recycling rates of flexible plastics. By training local communities, especially in schools, we fostered a sense of responsibility and sustainability.
• The recycled plastic wood was used to improve educational facilities, build classrooms and provide shelter for vulnerable populations, enhancing community well-being.