For one community we work with in Bangladesh, recycling is not just great for the environment, there’s a whole economic system now revolving around it.
In Gopalgonj district, the community we work with is making vegetable storage facilities from used plastics bottles and polythene that they then sell to businesses and households – meaning less plastic pollution and more income.
The 5ft x 4ft vegetable storage facilities use up to 67kg of polythene and 17kg of plastic bottles, cost around 63 euros to make and can store more than 50kg of food for up to a week without the need for preservatives.
Reusable plastic bottles offer several advantages for vegetable storage. Firstly, they are a cost-effective alternative to traditional storage solutions. Unlike refrigerators or specialist storage containers, they are also widely available and can be found in most households. They are also convenient to use because they can be stacked – good news for small households or those with limited storage space.
The storage containers help communities develop a safe food value chain locally and nationally, reducing food waste and post-harvest loss – useful not only for those with businesses but also for families who can also use these storage facilities to keep their own food safe.