India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021
On the occasion World Oceans Day (June 8), Union Environment Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched an awareness campaign on Single Use Plastics. He also announced India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021 to develop innovative alternatives to Single Use Plastics.
The Environment Minister emphasized that Government of India has already banned import of plastic waste in the country. In 2016, MoEFCC notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 for handling plastic waste in an environmentally sound manner. Under the rules plastic carry bags below 50 microns have been banned. Many states/UTs have also banned identified single use plastic items.
Plastics that are thrown away after their first use are known as single-use plastics.
What are single-use plastics?
Further, the Ministry has issued a draft notification in March 2021 for amending the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, with respect to prohibiting identified 12 single use plastic items such as disposable plastic cutlery etc.
GIZ, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) along with Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) are organizing the two-month long awareness campaign which will comprise of four on-line regional events and a social media campaign to spread the message of mitigation plastic pollution to wider audience.
To spur innovation and entrepreneurship in area of tackling plastic waste pollution and elimination of single use plastic, Shri Javadekar announced the “India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021”.
India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021
The “India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021” is a unique competition calling upon start-ups /entrepreneurs and students of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to develop innovative solutions to mitigate plastic pollution and develop alternatives to single use plastics.
What does the Program offer:
- Half-day workshop on designing the business case.
- Coaching on developing business case.
- Mentoring sessions with industry executives.
- Pitching session & award ceremony.
- Prizes: Top three winners from each track to get cash awards
Eligibility Criteria for India Plastic Challenge
- Open for students, young innovators, and startups.
- Applicants should have a clearly defined solution
- Early ideation, proof of concept, product, or pre-revenue stage solutions
- Students pursuing Bachelors, Masters, PhD in Indian Institutions can apply
Themes:
The India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021 includes two tracks:
Track 1 – Digital Solutions for Plastic Waste
To effectively track and monitor plastic waste
Indicative Themes:
Track 2 – Elimination of Single-Use Plastics
To provide affordable alternatives and reduce dependence on plastics
Indicative Themes
India Plastic Challenge Timeline
