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Name of the submitted project or idea (in English or both English and your language)
Beyond Bins by Biji-biji Initiative
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URL of a video introducing the work（under 5 minutes）
https://youtu.be/8Ufa2sBRP_I?feature=shared
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Detailed explanation of the submitted project or idea (in English or both English and your language)
Beyond Bins is one of Biji-biji’s flagship projects that directly empower marginalised communities and address the plastic waste problem. The project initially started back in 2012, where it was first launched as a small initiative called Life Beyond Bins. The idea behind this project was to inspire communities to take control of their lives and earn an income by upcycling - turning everyday waste into valuable, sellable products. Life Beyond Bins worked with underserved youth, teaching them basic upcycling skills, using waste products such as plastic bottles, e-waste and old clothes, and showed them how to make these wastes marketable. This initial success planted the seed for what would then evolve into a comprehensive community-driven recycling programme.
Over the years, Life Beyond Bins grew in scope and focus, where it eventually transformed into the current Beyond Bins programme. Today, with a refined approach, Beyond Bins places a specific emphasis on plastic waste - one of the most pressing environmental issues. Apart from the focus on the environmental impacts, Beyond Bins still holds true to its core of empowering communities, equipping them with the essential skills and tools to become impact microentrepreneurs.
Beyond Bins provides small-scale recycling facilities within communities, including 3-in-1 recycling machines and industrial-grade shredders, enabling the Beyond Bins Community Leaders to collect, process, and transform plastic waste into marketable products. In addition to technical training on machine operation, Beyond Bins includes workshops on business development, marketing, and entrepreneurship skills. By fostering business acumen and self-sufficiency, Beyond Bins empowers participants to sustain their ventures and build lasting economic independence. Currently, Beyond Bins has grown four communities within Klang Valley, empowering over 40 Community Leaders trained directly by Biji-biji, who have then carried this forward in training more individuals about upcycling and sustainable living within their communities. Today, the 4 communities under Beyond Bins are self-sustaining, operating independently of Biji-biji, to earn their own income through upcycling with Beyond Bins. The Beyond Bins community is mostly made up of unemployed women and single mothers from low income households.
We have conducted a Social Return on Investment (SROI) study on Beyond Bins - providing a means to measure the social, environmental and economic value of a programme or project. The SROI report, certified by the Social Value UK, found that every USD 1 that is invested into the Beyond Bins programme generates USD 7.32 returns for the community and the environment. This report highlights Beyond Bins’ impact on both community livelihoods and environmental stewardship. The programme is more than just a recycling initiative - it is a pathway to self-sufficiency and sustainable development for marginalised communities.
Link to full SROI report:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xSsYS2zvDYY44bMHec3A5TmmhgDfN4V6/view?usp=drive_link
Link to summarised SROI report:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17qqmyyf35K2KFnoBd7GyAnN8BGqm0jv6/view?usp=sharing -
How does your work address the 3 P’s (for Planet, for People, for Profit) for Sustainability?
People: Beyond Bins is centred around empowering marginalised communities by providing them with the skills, resources, and opportunities to create sustainable livelihoods. It prioritises inclusivity by working closely with underserved groups, specifically single mothers, unemployed youth, and individuals from B40 backgrounds - through our partnerships with local NGOs and social enterprises, equipping them with valuable skills in plastic recycling and upcycling. Beyond Bins provides intensive training on using recycling machines, technical skills, and entrepreneurship, turning waste into marketable products. By supporting over 40 Community Leaders across four self-sustaining communities in Malaysia, Beyond Bins fosters a sense of purpose, self-reliance, and resilience, enabling participants to uplift their own lives while advocating for sustainable practices within their communities.
Planet: At its core, Beyond Bins addresses a pressing challenge which is plastic waste. By upcycling plastic waste into valuable products, Beyond Bins promotes a circular economy model where it significantly reduces the amount of plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or pollute the environment. Beyond Bins empowers marginalised communities to transform waste materials into functional and durable products, making it key items for corporate social procurement. The emphasis on sustainability extends beyond recycling, as Beyond Bins also encourages participants to advocate for environmental responsibility within their communities, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.
Profit: Beyond Bins is designed to be economically sustainable for both Biji-biji Initiative and the participating communities. The programme enables communities to generate income by selling upcycled products and shredded plastic materials to corporate clients, consumers, and larger recycling facilities. Each community operates a small-scale recycling facility, producing and selling products independently. Beyond Bins creates a financial model where at least 75% of profits go back to the community members, providing a reliable source of income and promoting economic self-sufficiency. According to a Social Return on Investment (SROI) study certified by Social Value UK, every USD 1 invested in Beyond Bins generates USD 7.32 in social and environmental value, reflecting its success in creating economic opportunities while delivering substantial positive impact. This focus on economic empowerment, alongside environmental and social objectives, makes Beyond Bins a balanced model of People, Planet, and Profit. -
Keywords
#community #plastic #circulareconomy
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If you have a website for your submitted project or idea, please provide the URL
https://www.biji-biji.com/beyond-bins/
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If you have a social media account for your submitted project or idea, please provide the URL
https://www.instagram.com/beyondbins/
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Special Prize Question 1: "Empowering nature to create a new loop”: How does your work strengthen or support nature’s ability to capture and convert waste into valuable resources? How does your work advance industry practices by introducing nature-positive alternatives?
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Special Prize Question 2: “Regenerating ecosystems”: In what inspiring ways does your work contribute to the restoration and stabilization of natural ecosystems?
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Special Prize Question 3: “Education and storytelling”: How does your work make complex bioeconomy concepts accessible and engaging?
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Beyond Bins by Biji-biji Initiative
Others
Biji-biji Initiative is a social enterprise based in Malaysia, with a network expanding across the SEA region. We were established in 2013 with a mission to drive sustainable development and foster positive social and environmental impact. Biji-biji strives to promote inclusivity, creativity and environmental stewardship through our impact accelerator programmes, social innovation programmes, and our circular economy solution, Beyond Bins. Our organisation’s focus spans across various sectors including impact entrepreneurship, environmental conservation and community empowerment. We see ourselves at the forefront of growing the larger impact ecosystem within the region.
Specific to circular economy, our programme Beyond Bins is focused on transforming the plastic waste crisis into an opportunity for positive change, for both the environment and the people. The programme engages marginalised communities in recycling and upcycling activities, providing them with the skills, resources and equipment needed to turn plastic waste into valuable products - thus creating an alternative source of income for the community. Beyond Bins not only addresses environmental degradation but also provides economic empowerment to underserved communities, exemplifying Biji-biji’s commitment to innovative, community-led solutions that can create lasting impact.
Specific to circular economy, our programme Beyond Bins is focused on transforming the plastic waste crisis into an opportunity for positive change, for both the environment and the people. The programme engages marginalised communities in recycling and upcycling activities, providing them with the skills, resources and equipment needed to turn plastic waste into valuable products - thus creating an alternative source of income for the community. Beyond Bins not only addresses environmental degradation but also provides economic empowerment to underserved communities, exemplifying Biji-biji’s commitment to innovative, community-led solutions that can create lasting impact.
