Education in Exchange for Plastic

Far too little plastic that is eligible to be recycled ever is. The system can be inefficient and unrewarding. Worse still, in some communities, plastic bottles are burned for fuel, emitting toxic fumes. But a new initiative in India enables low-income parents to pay for their children’s school fees with salvaged plastic. The program was launched by Akshar Foundation which now works with the United National Environment Program. Children are able to gain access to higher-quality education–while learning about the environment and the ‘circular economy”—under the global auspices of the United Nations, which issues certificates to participating students.

• Can a plastic bottle be a ticket to an education? In India, yes.
• The Indian school where students pay for lessons with plastic waste