In this episode, I invited Anish Malpani - Founder of Ashaya, a non profit organization that functions with a simple vision : 'To recycle the worst kind of plastic waste while empowering waste pickers'.

Multi-layered plastics (also known as MLP) is one of the hardest plastics to recycle. It continues to overburden our landfills. Destroys marine life when discarded in the oceans. Recycling MLP is tough, so much so that no one wants to invest their time & money to do it.

Anish - saw that as an opportunity. An opportunity to solve a really difficult problem. Ashaya set up a lab in Pune and through a LOT (really a lot!) of research and continuous testing + iterations, they've developed the technology to recycle MLP.

I had an amazing time talking to Anish about his journey & about the impact Ashaya is creating, all the while going through an introspection myself.

We spoke about a range of topics on this episode like:

(00:00): Making sunglasses from a packet of chips – LIKE WHAAAT?

(02:21): Why are other people NOT recycling multi-layered plastics (MLP)? What’s the hold up?

(04:28): Why would you pay a premium to buy MLP when you can get it for free? Anish convinces the Finance geek within me as to why!

(08:56): MAJOR TURNAROUND: Transition from a guy climbing the corporate ladder <> a guy focused on creating maximum impact.

(23:47): Zeroing in on the niche to get into in the impact space.

(35:20): When did the action begin? How do you FUNDAMENTALLY increase the value of waste?

(44:56): BUILDING THE TECH: To recycle something that is impossible to recycle.

(51:10): Other value-added products in the pipeline from recycled MLP.

(53:56): Did Anish ever feel like calling it quits & throwing in the towel?

(59:00): WASTE PICKERS: Lives that Ashaya is touching [and substantially changing]

(1:11:53): Is the GoI providing any subsidies for developments in the waste management space?

(1:15:38): EXPANSION PLANS: How does the long-term game look like for Ashaya?

(1:20:02): The story behind the name & introducing a D2C brand called ‘Without’

Have you tried their sunglasses that are made out from a packet of chips? If not - grab them here