Protecting whale nurseries & biodiversity from plastic pollution

Context & Challenge:

• Buenaventura, is a beautiful coastal city sitting on a river estuary and the Pacific Ocean coast. The area is renowned for its beaches, biodiversity, and whale watching. Breeding grounds for hundreds of migrating humpback whales sit just off the coast.
• Despite its ecological importance, this remote area suffers from severe pollution due to a lack of waste management infrastructure. This has led to the burning or dumping of waste in open areas, resulting in significant plastic leakage into the ocean and threatening the region’s biodiversity.

Our Intervention:

• rePurpose Outcomes Lab addresses these challenges by deploying a comprehensive waste management approach that tackles the lack of local recycling options and high transportation costs.
• By engaging local communities, we facilitate the collection of plastic waste and transport it via small artisanal boats to bigger cities for recycling. This not only prevents the burning and dumping of plastics but also mitigates plastic leakage into the ocean, thus protecting the rich biodiversity of this ecological hotspot.
• Our project focuses on enhancing biodiversity outcomes by intercepting plastic waste from eco-sensitive beaches and engaging local communities in sustainable waste management practices. By creating new livelihood opportunities, we encourage community participation and stewardship of the local environment.

Key Outcomes:

• The project supports biodiversity outcomes by reducing the risk of plastic pollution reaching critical whale nurseries and other sensitive habitats.
• By training and employing local communities in waste collection, we foster sustainable livelihoods and strengthen community resilience. This contributes to a cleaner, healthier marine ecosystem, ensuring the protection of endangered species.