From Beach to Big Bags

Funded by

From Beach to Big Bags (FBBB) is a Danish-Indian partnership, funded by Danida Green Business Partnerships (DGBP). The project unites Danish and Indian partners to create a socially and economically sustainable value chain that transforms ocean-bound and land-based plastic into recycled polypropylene (rPP) big bags. FBBB aims to establish a scalable recycling model for rPP, sourced from inland waste collected by the informal sector and ocean-bound plastic gathered through barrier systems.

Photo: © Engineers without Borders (OPF member)

Latest developments

Ocean Plastic Forum Receives DGBP Funding for Recycling Project in India

Mar 5, 2025

Ocean Plastic Forum is proud to announce that we have received funding from Danida Green Business Partnerships (DGBP) for our new initiative, From Beach to Big Bags...

Problem

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental crisis, especially in coastal areas like Chennai, India, where large amounts of plastic waste end up in the ocean. Informal waste collectors play a crucial role in recycling but often lack access to fair wages and safe working conditions. At the same time, industries are seeking sustainable alternatives to virgin plastic but face challenges in securing consistent, high-quality recycled materials.

Perspectives

The FBBB initiative aims to expand operations, increasing the volume of recycled plastic while strengthening partnerships between Danish and Indian businesses to create sustainable packaging solutions. Additionally, the project supports policy engagement to drive regulatory change and encourage industry adoption of recycled materials. By ensuring fair wages and safer working conditions, FBBB also seeks to improve the livelihoods of informal waste workers, making upcycling waste not just an environmental goal, but a social and economic one as well.

Project description

FBBB is a collaboration between Ocean Plastic Forum, Kabadiwalla Connect, Gleco A/S, and Desmi Ro-Clean A/S, funded by Danida Green Business Partnerships (DGBP). Desmi Ro-Clean’s floating trash barriers will capture plastic waste before it reaches the ocean, while Kabadiwalla Connect will mobilize the informal waste collectors, ensuring fair wages and helping local waste collectors access their entitled insurance benefits. The collected plastic will be processed into rPP pellets, with an initial supply of 20 tons to Gleco A/S.

The production of big bags requires high-quality PP pellets as there are strict requirements in terms of durability. For this reason the project will start by producing big bags at Gleco A/S with 30% recycled polypropylene (rPP) collected via the floating barrier and local waste collectors.

This initiative demonstrates the feasibility of upcycled industrial packaging and aims to establish a long-term recycling value chain.