Precious Plastic, refugees clean up plastic from the Sahara desert

In the Sahara desert, halfway between the sand and the scorching sun, real mountains of plastic and waste are hidden.

Most of the refugee camps hosted by the Sahara Desert are completely dependent on humanitarian aid. Food, water and basic necessities arrive thanks to the rescue trucks; waste, on the other hand, has no way of being disposed of. Plastics, garbage and debris are dumped nearby in a constantly growing pile.

Thanks to a slow redevelopment process, the plastic is crushed into small pieces, washed, dried and then melted and pressed to create new objects. Refugees thus have the opportunity to turn garbage into furniture and other easily usable products.

A plastic desert (for now)

The initiative is due to Precious Plastic , a dedicated recycling organization that relies on a revolutionary recycling system, developed by a young Dutch designer.

The project was born after the request for help sent by the United Nations for refugees, UNHCR, which promoted initiatives aimed at "changing things".

Towards the end of 2021, a United Nations team built a new building to house the recycling center of the plastic bags, while Precious Plastic provided the necessary equipment. 

Refugees protect the Sahara desert from plastic

The machines that sort, clean and dry the plastic are managed by the refugees themselves. With a little training, the men and women of the camp quickly learned how to sort and process the different materials.

Currently, the UN is paying a group of refugees to work at the recycling center. In about a year, they will own part of the facility. The first products will be sold to organizations that support desert communities who need furniture and small objects.

The project is a beautiful attempt to help, a simple means of improving life in the area. 

The same system could then be used in other refugee camps, helping even more people. From the Sahara desert to many oases of humanity.