It takes a village…
And on Friday, it truly did.
On the 23rd of January, Ocean Plastic Forum officially kicked off our trip to India with a visit to Buckingham Canal, where a floating waste barrier developed by Enviroguard was installed directly into the water.
The barrier is designed to collect waste, including plastic, before it reaches the ocean. The collected material will become part of our From Beach to Big Bag (FBBB) project, where plastic waste is transformed into recycled big bags, supporting a circular value chain.
The installation was a truly collaborative effort. Our local partners from Kabadiwalla Connect were on site alongside the Enviroguard team and local fishers, all working together to get the barrier safely into position. In addition, the local team received hands-on training in how to operate, handle, and maintain the barrier going forward.
With a strong current in the canal and limited access to the shoreline, the installation was no small task, but thanks to local knowledge, technical expertise, and close cooperation, the barrier was successfully deployed. The installation marked an important milestone in the project, ahead of the official opening ceremony, which will bring together local communities, authorities, academic institutions, and international partners.
We look forward to sharing more insights and updates from the project as the barrier is put into operation in the coming weeks.
