About Project:
Improving plastic waste management and recycling will require action through innovation, better product design and friendly alternatives. Plastic-to-fuel measures that have been tried was reported inefficient as they in-turn produce hydrocarbons which are harmful to human health and the environment.
Despite efforts made regards to plastic waste recycling, only 9% is recycled and 22% mismanaged, oecd.org. Recyclers also attest that enough plastic is not recycled. With the introduction of a modular technology; WASTX Plastic as a solution by BIOFABRIK, post-consumer plastics and polyolefins are recycled into reusable oil.
This project was created in a bid to reduce the quantity of plastic waste in the environment, reduce the rate of mismanaged recycled plastic and to encourage recycling.
My Role:
A product manager; carried out the research, user analysis, competitive analysis, quantitative analysis, PRD, GTM strategy, business canvas, etc.
Project Duration:
4 weeks
Survey Findings:
* At least 5.25 trillion plastic waste weighing 268,940 tons are currently floating at sea. The Northern and Southern Hemisphere Ocean regions contain 55.6% and 56.8% of plastic, the North and South Pacific contains 37.9% and 35.8% of plastic, respectively; PLOS.
* Local plastic waste recyclers in Nigeria don't recycle up to 7% of plastic waste in Nigeria.
* Plastics have a considerable amount of hydrogen and carbon content. This can be converted to fuel as a source of energy.
Quantitative Findings:
Picture 1: Method of waste disposal.
80% dispose plastic waste at the waste dump, 20% discard into the drainage, road etc.
Picture 2: Rate of awareness of plastic waste disintegration. 80% haven't given a thought about how plastic waste ends up, 10% are aware it takes time to disintegrate.
Picture 3: 100% are willing to use a plastic waste recycling platform.
Picture 4: 60% would appreciate recyclers pickup plastic waste at their doorstep, 10% are undecided, 30% would prefer dropping off at a designated station.
Picture 5: 90% are willing to refer users to the platform.
Picture 6: Response according to region.
User Personas:
Adeola;
Basis Statistics: a 30-year old single lady. She works from home thus rarely step out of the house. As a result, takes more of canned/processed food. This have increased the quantity of plastics in her house.
Pain Points;
* The PET have taken a considerable amount of space in her house.
* Roaches tend to breed in these bottles, open food stuffs is not safe in this regards.
* She isn’t mobile yet, thus she have challenges going to the waste dump.
Goals;
* She would like occasional pick ups for the PET bottles she have used.
* Want her space freed while reducing diseases caused by roaches.
Basis Statistics: a 30-year old single lady. She works from home thus rarely step out of the house. As a result, takes more of canned/processed food. This have increased the quantity of plastics in her house.
Pain Points;
* The PET have taken a considerable amount of space in her house.
* Roaches tend to breed in these bottles, open food stuffs is not safe in this regards.
* She isn’t mobile yet, thus she have challenges going to the waste dump.
Goals;
* She would like occasional pick ups for the PET bottles she have used.
* Want her space freed while reducing diseases caused by roaches.
Idris;
Basic Statistics: A local PET recycler
He is a 35-year old father of 2. Kids are in school, while the wife needs funds to start a local
Pain Points;
* He gets exhausted before picking the required kilograms for the day.
* Most times, he is cashless the day he is unable to meet up maybe as a result of health challenge.
* Means of collection, time, money made isn’t sustainable for him and his family.
Goals;
* A means that will make his job easier and less stressful.
* Reduced time spent on PET bottle collection so he can have additional means of income.
* His income won’t be affected the day he is unable to meet up.
Basic Statistics: A local PET recycler
He is a 35-year old father of 2. Kids are in school, while the wife needs funds to start a local
Pain Points;
* He gets exhausted before picking the required kilograms for the day.
* Most times, he is cashless the day he is unable to meet up maybe as a result of health challenge.
* Means of collection, time, money made isn’t sustainable for him and his family.
Goals;
* A means that will make his job easier and less stressful.
* Reduced time spent on PET bottle collection so he can have additional means of income.
* His income won’t be affected the day he is unable to meet up.
Uche;
Basic Statistics;
Uche is a 40 year entrepreneur. He operates a local PET bottle recycling company at Oshodi, Lagos state. He has about 4 employees.
Pain Points;
* Most times, the PET bottle pickers don’t bring in enough PET bottles.
* Because of the gap in knowledge and expertise, the conversion process isn’t so efficient.
Basic Statistics;
Uche is a 40 year entrepreneur. He operates a local PET bottle recycling company at Oshodi, Lagos state. He has about 4 employees.
Pain Points;
* Most times, the PET bottle pickers don’t bring in enough PET bottles.
* Because of the gap in knowledge and expertise, the conversion process isn’t so efficient.
As a result of the inefficiency;
* There is considerable amount of unburnt hydrocarbons in the atmosphere; causing air pollution.
* It causes land pollution in the area where the PET bottles are kept after recycling from households.
Goals;
* He wants a more efficient way of mechanizing the process.
* The employees be trained to be more efficient.
* Reduction in time used from the recycling to the energy generation process.
* There is considerable amount of unburnt hydrocarbons in the atmosphere; causing air pollution.
* It causes land pollution in the area where the PET bottles are kept after recycling from households.
Goals;
* He wants a more efficient way of mechanizing the process.
* The employees be trained to be more efficient.
* Reduction in time used from the recycling to the energy generation process.
Mobile App Prototype:
