Green Shift: Circularity of Plastic Waste for Net-Zero Carbon Nepal (GreenShift Nepal) is a four-year project funded by the European Union and led by CREASION, in partnership with Restless Development and Youth Innovation Lab. Implemented in nine municipalities across Bagmati, Madhesh, and Lumbini provinces, the project promotes a circular economy by minimizing plastic waste and integrating it into the product value chain.

It aims to strengthen waste enterprises, support SMEs in developing plastic alternatives, engage schoolchildren and youths in awareness campaigns, and enhance government capacity for inclusive, evidence-based policies, driving Nepal towards a sustainable, net-zero carbon future.

Project Prayaash addresses Nepal’s growing plastic waste problem by establishing a measurable and verifiable recycling chain to ensure proper collection and recycling, especially in under-served areas. With 600 Metric Tons of plastic waste generated daily and limited recycling facilities, the project aims to reduce landfill waste and promote sustainable waste management practices.

Additionally, Prayaash focuses on the social inclusion of over 15,000 informal waste workers, who are crucial to waste recovery but face poor working conditions and social discrimination. By integrating them into the formal system, the project enhances their livelihoods through fair wages, better working conditions, and social support.

Preventing Plastic in Nepal’s Rivers aims to tackle plastic pollution by establishing collection points along rivers to intercept waste at the source. With Kathmandu’s growing population, 27% of waste is dumped on riverbanks, contributing to environmental degradation. This project will pilot a locally run plastic recycling facility, managing both high- and low-quality plastics, which currently lack proper processing in Nepal.

By enhancing the informal waste sector, especially empowering marginalized women waste pickers, the project seeks to increase plastic recovery and prevent littering, turning plastic waste into valuable resources while promoting sustainable waste management practices.