Aldrin Aujero

August 2018

It is widely known that non-biodegradable wastes cause adverse effects on the environment. One such effect is the clogging of waterways and sewage systems which inevitably lead to a worsened condition of flooding. Plastic, a non-biodegradable and very household item, is one of the main waste items that contribute to waterway clogging according to reports published by the Metro Manila Development Authority in 2017. Moreover, academic studies also claim that waterway clogging, along with the geographical properties of an area, is one of the main cause of urban flooding as the waste accumulates within waterways thereby slowing, and in some cases even halting, the flow of water (Shwetmala et. al, 2011).

In addition to flooding, plastic pollution also has considerable harms posed on marine ecosystems. Many of the plastic waste thrown into waterways end up in rivers and oceans which cause another variety of consequences (Fischer, 2017). One prominent harm is that plastic debris in oceans and water bodies are often ingested by marine animals, disrupting the ecosystem?s food chain and ecological system (Thompson et. al, 2009). That the Philippines is the 3rd largest contributor to ocean plastic waste, according to a report published by the Ocean Conservancy in 2017 accentuated by 2018 UN report that the Philippines among the 5 countries that contribute to half of the world?s total plastic waste, highlights the severity of the problem in the Philippines and thus the need for substantial action.

The necessity for action has induced several solutions to be carried out including the legislative ban on plastic bags in cities like Pasig and Baguio. Though indicative of a strong political will to reduce plastic waste, such legislative acts can only help to a certain extent. Grocery stores for example now default to giving paper bags instead of plastic bags. However, plastic bags can still be purchased with negligible additional fees thereby nullifying the effects of the disincentives. Moreover, small local vendors are often unmonitored by the local government hence making it possible for them to still issue plastic bags, while items such as plastic bottles and plastic straws are still made available in the vast majority of regions due to their indispensability. Hence, the issue of plastic waste still remains to be of concern. Although incrementally progressing, the transition out of a plastic-based economy will still require significant time. However, what can be done now is to minimize the amount of those plastics that are improperly disposed and cause harm to the environment.

Project Description:

Project SWAP is a social enterprise that aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste in the community by providing innovative and high-quality plastic-based products that create a market for disposed plastic items and an incentive for people to avoid improperly disposing their plastic wastes. Project SWAP aims to turn waste into profit through sustainable recycling practices.

An array of consumer-facing stationery and household products will be created from the recycled plastic materials such as but not limited to pencil cases, eco-bags, and pouches.

Material Sources:

1. House-to-house Collection

1. Where plastic wastes

2. Vendor-to-vendor collection

1. Trash bins and sacks can be set-up specifically for the collection of plastic bags especially in places like sari-sari stores, canteens, and other local food vendors.

2. Plastic materials can be collected

Product Creation Models: How will the products be created?

1. [1] Centralized community-based production

1. Members of the community can gather in a community center on specific days weekly to create plastic products

[1] Hourly Pay Model

2. To maximize efficiency, an assembly line model can be implemented such that the product will be developed in different phases where each individual (or team of individuals) will be in charge of a certain part of the development process (i.e. a team soley tasked to cut plastic bottles, another team dedicated to gluing the bottles together etc.). Under this model, community members will be financially compensated based on the number of hours they spend creating products in the center.

[2] Output Pay Model

3. Due to possible logistical issues of a centralized and hourly wage system (such as individuals slacking off their productivity as pay is based on hours, or age requirements), another model can be utilized such that instead of having the community members paid based on the number of hours they spend creating products, each individual would instead be paid based on the number of product outputs that he/she finishes. A quality control mechanism can be put into place such that only those finished products that pass a quality check will be accepted and paid for while those that don?t won?t be accepted. This would still occur in a centralized system so efficiency in terms of resource utility will be maximized.

2. [2] House-based production

1. If community centers are not available, a house-based production model could be used instead such that individuals devise their products at home using their own resources and equipments and at their own time preferences. Individuals would then receive pay for based on the number of products that pass the quality check.

Who Will Create the Products?

Note that in both models, anyone in the community willing and capable to create products can produce items and receive pay including household mothers, unemployed individuals, out of school youths, etc., thereby allowing the program to target a wide range of audience to provide earning opportunities for.

Target Audience:

1. Local Students and Teachers

1. Local students and teachers would be ideal target audiences especially since this would mean that the products will be consumed and bought locally, decreasing the need to transport the items and hence being more sustainable.  

2. One-for-One Model

1. Considering that the local market may not be that huge given that the income levels of individuals in rural communities may be relatively lower, a one-for-one model that targets people in urban areas can be utilized. The products will be pitched to a larger audience of environmentally conscious and altruistic audiences through an online marketing and selling during environmental events and even in school events of international schools where the target audiences have larger income levels. The model would encourage individuals to buy the products as every purchase of a product would entitle the consumer to contribute the same product to a rural student in need of the product. The buyer will be asked to sign a card that will be given to the receiver of the donation along with the product. This creates a personalized experience for both the giver and the receiver as well as serve as a moral incentive for the giver as the impact of the purchase is directly appreciated.

Target Demographic:

Although, the products will be marketed to a wide range of audience such as community members at large, specific focus would be given to:

• Middle and high school students (ages 12 to 18) living within Metro Manila and studying in private and international schools

This is because this target demographic especially within Metro Manila have an attitude of being environmentally conscious and sustainable in their consumption patterns due to how this is stressed in private and international school curriculums and extra-curricular activities. For instance, a conference called the Global Issues Network, is held each year among the international and private schools in Metro Manila in order to promote sustainability and present student-led sustainability initiatives and research. In addition, sustainability clubs and organizations within these schools also effectively increase environmental enthusiasm amongst the student bodies making it easier to market the products to them.

Example A: Pencil Case Prototype

A pencil case made of recycled plastic bottle materials.

The upper section of a 250ml Sprite plastic bottle is cut-off. A zipper is attached to enclose the case with the bottom part of another plastic bottle, creating a sealed, compact and practical pencil case. Prototype took less than 15 minutes to make.

EXAMPLE B: Plastic Straw Based Eco Bags

An eco bag/ bayong made from plastic straws that are weaved together.

Item not made yet. Photo taken from the internet; source listed below.

Photo Source:

"Beautiful Market Bags Made From Recycled Plastic Packing | Art of Ideas." 30 May. 2018, http://www.bruceramos.info/turning-trash-into-treasure/beautiful-market-bags-made-from-recycled-plastic-packing/.

Implementation Strategy:

1. Collection of raw materials

1. Materials  can be collected from canteens, sari-sari stores and households

2. Preparation and creation

1. Materials will be washed and properly sterilized to avoid the risks of contamination and ensure quality products for the consumers

2. Product will be made by hand using easily accessible materials such as scissors, glue guns, zippers etc. and branded by attaching stickers

3. Distribution

1. Final products can be distributed through stationery suppliers and sari-sari stores as well as promotion in school and community events

Sources:

"Assessment of solid wastes choking open sewers and ... - CES (IISc)." http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/paper/iconswm_urban_flooding/ufsw.pdf. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018.

"Floods made worse by garbage—EcoWaste | Inquirer News." 29 Jul. 2017, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/918666/floods-made-worse-by-garbage-ecowaste. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018.

"Philippines 3rd largest contributor to ocean plastic | Philstar.com." 15 Jun. 2018, https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/15/1824813/philippines-3rd-largest-contributor-ocean-plastic. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018.

"Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a ... - Ocean Conservancy." https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/full-report-stemming-the.pdf. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018.

"Table of Contents — July 27, 2009, 364 ...." http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/364/1526. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018.