Plasticoin

PLASTICOIN. The first ecological virtual currency created in Uruguay to add value to plastic waste. 

Plasticoin is an incentive program that rewards citizens who classify their domestic plastic waste, allowing recycling chains to better assimilate plastic.  

In exchange for their plastic waste, they receive Plasticoins that they can accumulate in their virtual accounts and have access to benefits and discounts offered by the supporting companies. 

We collect plastic by organizing recycling events and we have also implemented a home collection system with cargo bicycles. This allows the project to be very efficient, because we concentrate large volumes of plastic that we send to recycling chains.

Plasticoin is a triple-impact initiative that gives the same importance to the environmental, social and economic aspects. We believe in sustainable cities and communities, where responsible production and consumption are key assets.

The plastics problem is serious. According to GreenPeace, in the last 10 years more plastic has been manufactured than in the entire history of mankind and by 2020 it is expected to exceed 900% of that produced in 1980. Each year between 8 and 12 million of tons to the sea. These amounts, its easy dispersion and its slow degradation process make plastic the greatest enemy of the seas and oceans. 

Every year 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced, which is equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. And on a global scale, only 9% of all the material that has been produced has been recycled.

In recent years, plastic has entered the international political agenda and that of multinationals. Measures are required to ensure that companies take responsibility for the plastic waste they generate, demanding a transformation towards a circular economy.

In Uruguay, 450 tons of plastic waste are generated per day and only 2% of that amount is recycled. Almost 60% of the recovered material is made through informal channels, by people who are often marginalized.

Plasticoin acts as a concentrating agent through incentives, efficiently connecting waste generators with recycling chains.

Plasticoin is an incentive program that rewards citizens who classify their domestic plastic waste, allowing recycling chains to better assimilate plastic.

In exchange for their plastic waste, they receive Plasticoins that they can accumulate in their virtual accounts and have access to benefits and discounts offered by the supporting companies

We collect plastic by organizing recycling events and we have also implemented a home collection system with cargo bicycles. This allows the project to be very efficient, because we concentrate large volumes of plastic that we send to recycling chains to cooperatives and circular economy projects, which get the benefits of the circuit.

Plasticoins are only issued in exchange of plastic delivered in optimal recycling conditions. This way we implement a plastic traceability in which the virtual currency turns into an environmental indicator.

Blockchain technology will make it possible to do transactions without intermediaries and in a safe and transparent way for all network members. 

Blockchain based system, allow each Plasticoin to become a real certificate that proves that a particular amount of plastic was destined to a recycling chain. It will also help to spread the concept of extended producer responsibility over their commercialized plastic packs.

Plasticoin is a triple-impact initiative that gives the same importance to the environmental, social and economic aspects. We believe in sustainable cities and communities, where responsible production and consumption are key assets.

Through our virtual platform we build a virtuous circle to achieve a collective goal that benefits us all.

USERS get an economic benefit and assimilate responsible practices to manage their plastic waste. 

SUPPORTING COMPANIES get advertised in our catalog and fidelize their clients as a consequence of their environmental commitment.

PLASTIC MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS get a transparent and cost-effective management of their Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) over their products.

THE STATE also benefits from an independent plastic waste circuit that increases the capacity of public waste containers and dumping sites.

For SOCIETY it is also positive, since local industry, responsible consumption and environmental education are promoted along the process.

And finally, the most important aspect of all: the reduction of the effects of excessive plastic consumption have a direct positive impact on the ENVIRONMENT and on coastal ecosystems. 

With the support of technology, it is possible to measure the environmental impact of the sustainable activities that are promoted.

Giving traceability to the entire recycling value chain allows us to identify and address opportunities and gaps throughout the process.

In the economic aspect, technology is used to promote consumption in local companies, to increase the reach of their products.

Education and environmental awareness will be the common factor for all those involved.

Plasticoin is in prototype phase, operating in different locations in the department of Maldonado (PDE  Piriapolis)

Today we have 3,492 registered users, of which 2,987 actively interact with the platform. 108 companies adhered to the program offering benefits as incentives. 665 benefits issued. 19 homes and 2 hotels that have our monthly collection service. (income model)

Due to the country's health context, several of the launch campaigns were postponed.

In mid-June, pilot tests will begin in a municipality in the country's capital (Montevideo) with collection days in points of great demographic concentration and neighborhood fairs.

In addition, there will be a joint launch of the sale of Eco-plus memberships (income model) as labor benefits for employees of different companies.

The pilot of the Collection System in buildings in the La Punta neighborhood of Punta del Este will be starting on an electrically assisted bicycle, waste collection without CO2 emissions.

We are the first virtual currency created in Uruguay as a form of incentive for environmental actions.

We use technology to do more with less, better and more efficiently.

Like any unit of value, the higher the utility, the higher the acquisition and the higher the value, we aspire to massification to enhance the unit and thereby mass the recycling habit.

Today we have 3500 registered users and 108 Companies - 3 locations

In a year 10,000 users and 400 companies - 5 locations

In 5 years 150,000 users and 10,00 companies - 20 locations

For every 100 plasticoins in the value chain, 1 kilogram of plastic is guaranteed to be sent to recycling chains. With this reward system it is possible to quantify the volumes of plastic withdrawn from the market and recovered from the environment. Today, after a year of operations and with COVID in between, we have managed to recover 16,500 kilos of plastic containers.

These data allow us to measure the progress of the proposed goals regarding the amount of kilos recycled and therefore not dumped in landfills, reducing pollution.

The protection of ecosystems related to water by avoiding that their final destination is a landfill (rivers and streams) and these are recycled.

Possible to quantify the creation of decent jobs, the formalization in the sector and the growth of the company. As well as the impact on the recycling industry that allows economic growth at the country level, dissociating it from environmental degradation.

Plasticoin as an enterprise in waste management contributes to the promotion of policies, creativity and innovation, fostering the growth of small companies.

Possible to measure the negative per capita impact of cities by improving and planning waste management in a different way.

Possible to measure the reduction of waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse activities. (education, incentive, playful)

Marine plastic pollution is prevented and reduced.

Plasticoin is a set of alliances of individuals, companies, governments. Being able to act local or regional

Full-time Founders: 2

Direct dependent workers: 2

Part-time laborers: 4

Contractors (logistics): 2

Recycling (classification and recovery): 4

Nicole Wyaux (Co-Founder): Industrial/Product Designer always works in the development of products or services of different industries or companies. I also work in the research workshop area of the Design faculty at the Ort University of Uruguay. Proactive and with a great capacity for the development of group projects. She was always linked to projects of a social or technological nature. See this project as a tool for personal and professional development.

Juan Rivero (Co-Founder): Telecommunications Analyst and Marketing Analyst always worked with Telecommunications projects that involve logistics, management and business alliances to achieve collective objectives.Surfer and beach lover, he has been involved with environmental and social projects, today Plasticoin combines his experience with his expectations for the cities of the future.

The social character of Plasticoin is as important as the environmental and economic, in that sense, we make special focus on the development and empowerment of the workers involved in the systems for the recovery of recyclable waste.

The tasks resulting from our activities do not distinguish gender and are intended to increase the results and expectations of those involved.

Because we are developing our business in a country that has been severely hit by the pandemic, which is also facing a major economic crisis, the situation forces us to scale our proposal on a much larger scale and to be able to really reach equilibrium points. For that we require external help that does not condition our financial projections through loans with interest.

We consider it convenient to receive advice to measure the environmental impact generated by the recycling activity. Being able to quantify and measure the environmental benefits generated by the action of recycling.

If we can identify how much CO2 we are saving as a collective each time 1 kg of plastic is recycled, we can transfer that result to our users who are in charge of starting the collective benefit process