As plastic waste leaks into the ocean at alarming rates, a systematic and comprehensive approach across the world is urgently needed. Over 8 million tons of plastic waste are estimated to be flowing in the ocean every year. 

The WWF project Clean Ports, Clean Oceans: Improving Port Waste Management in the Philippines, funded by the Grieg Foundation and implemented in partnership with the Grieg Group, started a call for social entrepreneurs with tested and ready-to-scale solutions across the whole plastic value chain that can be piloted in Manila North Port, Port of Batangas, and Port of Cagayan de Oro to help in reducing plastic waste leakage by 50%, among other interventions. 

“We see the important role of entrepreneurs in providing solutions for improving the current waste management system in Philippine ports. With the project, we seek to implement tested solutions and document its impact in stopping plastic waste leakage from reaching our oceans,” says Czarina Constantino - Panopio, Project Manager. 

In the call, social entrepreneurs will undergo a process of selection divided in three stages. For the first stage, WWF aims to generate at least 50 ready-to-scale solutions targeting the different aspects of the plastic value chain such as increased rates in segregation, collection, recycling, and market opportunities. The registration of solutions will close on January 31, 2022. 

WWF has partnered with The Ocean Opportunity Lab (TOOL) in identifying solutions across their global community of innovators and entrepreneurs for sustainability. The partnership includes matching the project’s resources and innovation needs to problem solvers and resource options. 

During the second phase, the solutions that are registered will be categorized into the following:

1. Closing the tap: reduction in plastic waste generation.
2. Closing the loop: segregation, redesign, reuse, recycle, and measures to lengthen the use of plastic items in the operations.
3. Stopping plastic leakage: collection, disposal of plastic waste, and measures to avoid plastic wastes from ending up in nature.
4. Clean-up: capture and clean-up of the environment.
5. Training, awareness and R&D:  increase awareness about the threat from plastic pollution, change consumer behaviors, and R&D.

In this stage, WWF works with xchange to assess and shortlist the solutions who registered during the first stage. Submissions are judged through the following criteria:

• Relevance to Local Needs: Each project site has priority areas within their waste management system that need intervening. Solutions should be able to address these priority areas for project interventions.
• Environmental and Social Safeguards: Each solution should ensure that environmental standards and social rights are met. Solutions should work in an equal manner with their partners and the environment. 
• Clarity of Solution: Solutions should already have a clear path on how they can help address plastic pollution in the project sites.
• Readiness for Piloting in Project Sites: The business model should be clear enough for the entrepreneurs in preparation for the pilot that they have a clear idea on how they will pilot their solution.

The last stage of the call is where the shortlisted entrepreneurs pitch their solutions to a panel of judges for final selection. 

The three-year project will fund the scaling of the solutions that will be selected starting in March 2022.