In the past two decades, an increase in urbanization, and a resulting change in consumption patterns has led to the birth of a throwaway culture, thanks to the easy availability of packaged consumption products. Millions of tons of waste, a significant amount of it being packaging waste, is generated each year. Packaged foods, water, and other supplies come into the communities in trucks, but the waste never really leaves. The result is that lots of our communities, especially in the global south where we operate, are increasing looking like an immense pile of filth as a consequence of a throwaway culture that quickly reduces things to rubbish. The waste clogs drainage channels and waterways, causing flooding.
Secondly, it contaminates drinking water when dumped into ground water sources, and thirdly, it releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when burnt, in addition to causing respiratory issues when inhaled.
BleagLee creates value from waste by using specialized software and drones to detect and collect poorly disposed waste that clog drainage channels and waterways thus contributing to flooding, and heaps of surface waste. We work with waste collectors and youth environmental groups (called eco-groups) to pick up waste for processing, thus create sustainable employment for women, men and youth. The processed products are sold, the portion without market value properly disposed of.
We collect and recycle three different types of waste
– Plastic, electronic and agricultural waste.
We track, collect and process plastic waste into plastic pellets which are sold to manufacturing companies. We collect and process agricultural waste into clean cooking energy briquettes, biochar, compost and processed carton/cardboard packaging. We collect, process and sell electronic waste to e-recycling companies.
With new funding, we will continue to build the team, partnerships and structures required to deliver the best waste management solution, R&D efforts, financing and certified impacts at scale.
