Kimberly-Clark India has partnered with the Plastics for Change India Foundation to launch ‘Project Ghar’ that aims to deliver sustainable housing facilities to on-ground waste collectors in India.

Under the initiative, over a period of six months, a total of 30 metric tons of single-use and multi-layered plastic will be recycled to construct 15 houses in the Hubli-Dharwad region of Karnataka.

Once the project is successfully completed in the state, it will be extended to several other parts of the country as well.

Mainak Dhar, Managing Director, Kimberly-Clark India said: “In today’s rapidly evolving circular economy it is critical to implement innovative solutions to improve our collective environment footprint. Our partnership with Plastics for Change India Foundation for Project Ghar is one such initiative, which presents us with a unique opportunity towards delivering on our global sustainability vision and also make a real difference in communities where we operate.”

In the partnership with Plastics for Change India Foundation where channel partners like Ricron Panels will collect and convert the non-recyclable plastic waste into sheets that are used as the building material for these houses, said the company.

The houses are lighter and more durable than cement sheets or ply, can resist wind speeds of up to 120 km/hour, have no heating issues and will provide durability for close to 30 years. Along with improved sanitization and safe living conditions, each house will also generate livelihood opportunities for 30 waste pickers each day, it said.

Andrew Almack, CEO and Founder, Plastics for Change India Foundation said: “Project Ghar is a disruptive solution that tackles two critical and connected issues of our time: the need for recycling plastic and homelessness in the informal waste collector communities, who play the most critical role in waste management. We are so proud to be working with a company like Kimberly-Clark that has sustainability at the centre of all it does, and we are confident that this initiative will have a positive impact on the environment as well as people’s lives.”

For the past two decades, Kimberly-Clark has been recycling manufacturing waste, with a diversion rate of 96 per cent, claims the company.