In this project, we are aiming to find creative solutions with real life applications to turn the challenges of today into sustainable businesses.
Waste management and especially the handling of plastic waste is very much underrepresented in Vietnam. While some large facilities are operating and mainly focused on PET and to a certain extend on HDPE, the vast majority of plastic waste ends in landfills or in the environment. To date, Vietnam remains one of the 5 major ocean polluters in the world.
Waste pickers are the unsung heroes but vastly under appreciated. The aim is to find a way to include the waste pickers and collection centers in the recycling process. Evergreen Labs has developed a business model that does just that. But we are not engineers nor material scientists. We follow a trial and error approach and love collaborations. We trust in the creativity and ability of VGU and most importantly the students.
Our current production line represents a simple set up of commodity machines. We have tested various processes and materials and have learned every step of the way. Many challenges remain. Some of our findings are outlined below.