Project Neela Sapana tackles the urgent issue of plastic waste along India’s eastern coastline. In cities like Chennai, uncollected waste often flows into waterways, washing out to sea and then returning to shore—endangering marine ecosystems and burdening local communities.

This groundbreaking initiative builds long-term infrastructure for the recovery and responsible processing of neglected, low-value plastics—materials that are typically overlooked by formal recycling systems.

Improved Waste Services for Thousands: This project has enhanced waste collection for over 40,000 households, introducing structured collection systems where few existed before.

Better Conditions for Waste Workers:
Waste workers—many of whom were previously operating in unsafe, informal conditions—now benefit from improved accommodations, fair wages, and safer working environments thanks to rePurpose Global’s support

Plastic Recovery at Scale: Over 1.7 million pounds of plastic have been recovered through Neela Sapana. Much of this material would otherwise have ended up in the ocean, continuing a destructive cycle of pollution.

The project’s zero-leakage approach ensures that even low-value plastics—such as wrappers, sachets, and multilayer packaging—are properly sorted and repurposed, with no waste returning to the environment.

A rePurpose-funded facility processes recovered plastic for practical reuse. With support for transportation and logistics, this material is diverted from landfills and oceans and transformed into durable goods like cement mix additives and road-building materials.

By funding this process, Ruff & Whiskerz is not only preventing ocean plastic but also helping turn waste into valuable resources—creating a cleaner planet and a stronger local economy.