Empowering local communities
We engage local communities by creating job opportunities, improving living conditions, and providing resources to promote sustainability.
local people positively impacted by the Second Life project since 2020
in our collectors' network
collectors
including 1 municipality, 1 school waste bank and 2 community projects registered under the Second Life program.
Three Pillars of community
engagement
First Pillar
Economic Empowerment
Second Life provides consistent financial incentives to local waste collectors, creating sustainable income in regions where job opportunities are limited.
This includes funding for tools, transport, and performance-based incentives: directly improving the livelihoods of thousands of families.
SECOND Pillar
Capacity Building & Education
We offer regular training in waste collection, sorting, and environmental practices.
Community members, including women, youth, and marginalized groups, are equipped with knowledge and skills to manage plastic waste more efficiently and safely, contributing to long-term behavioral change.
third Pillar
Social Inclusion & Equity
We prioritize the inclusion of underrepresented groups, particularly women (64% of our network), Muslim communities, and Indigenous sea nomads (like the Moken).
Our approach fosters dignity, independence, and resilience, ensuring everyone has a role in building a cleaner and fairer future.
Testimony from a collector
My wish for the project? To sell more non-recyclable waste and push the plastic waste prices higher for the community.
Thanat Dookphut
Field Operations Director - Thailand
Why recycle plastic ?
Recycling plastic helps reduce ocean pollution, conserve natural resources, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. By recycling, we prevent plastics from ending up in landfills or waterways, support a circular economy, and protect marine wildlife from plastic ingestion and entanglement.
How does plastic end up in the ocean?
Plastic reaches the ocean through stormwater runoff, rivers, illegal dumping, and poorly managed landfills. Lightweight plastic items like bags, straws, and packaging materials can travel long distances from urban areas to waterways, eventually polluting marine environments.
How many tons of plastic are in the ocean?
It’s estimated that there are more than 170 trillion plastic particles, weighing over 2 million tons, floating in the world’s oceans. This number continues to grow due to poor waste management, increased plastic production, and lack of global recycling infrastructure.
How much plastic ends up in the oceans ?
Each year, over 11 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans, according to environmental studies. This figure is projected to triple by 2040 if significant changes aren’t made. Ocean plastic pollution harms marine life, disrupts ecosystems, and contributes to the global climate crisis.
Giving a second life to plastic waste
