"discarded plastic"

#12599441

30 July 2025

In Tangerang Selatan, Banten, Indonesia, on July 30, 2025, at the Recycle Business Unit (RBU), a grassroots initiative under Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya, workers sort, press, and shred discarded plastic beverage bottles into recyclable flakes. This micro-industry generates millions of rupiah in monthly revenue and provides crucial employment for local residents. More than just an economic engine, RBU plays a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste, turning pollution into potential, and advancing environmental sustainability across urban Indonesia.

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#12599442

30 July 2025

In Tangerang Selatan, Banten, Indonesia, on July 30, 2025, at the Recycle Business Unit (RBU), a grassroots initiative under Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya, workers sort, press, and shred discarded plastic beverage bottles into recyclable flakes. This micro-industry generates millions of rupiah in monthly revenue and provides crucial employment for local residents. More than just an economic engine, RBU plays a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste, turning pollution into potential, and advancing environmental sustainability across urban Indonesia.

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#12599443

30 July 2025

In Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia, on July 30, 2025, a worker operates a hydraulic press at Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya, surrounded by heaps of plastic bottles ready to be compacted. The cooperative processes thousands of bottles daily, turning waste into bales of pressed plastic for resale. Amid chaotic piles of discarded materials, this small-scale recycling effort helps reduce plastic pollution while providing income and stability for local waste workers.

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#12599446

30 July 2025

In Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia, on July 30, 2025, a worker at Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya's Recycle Business Unit moves large sacks of sorted plastic waste, surrounded by towering stacks of recyclable materials. The cooperative processes up to 26 tons of pressed plastic and over 100 kilograms of shredded plastic daily, turning discarded bottles into raw materials while providing jobs and fighting urban pollution. A weathered teddy bear tied atop a hydraulic press adds a human touch to the gritty backdrop of grassroots recycling.

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#12575381

23 July 2025

CALGARY, CANADA - JULY 12: A discarded popcorn box left along a walking path near the Calgary Stampede venue, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on July 12, 2025.

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#12521403

1 July 2025

A man swims through the heavily polluted waters of the Mithi River while towing a makeshift raft filled with recyclable plastic waste in Mumbai, India, on July 1, 2025. Informal waste pickers often risk their health navigating toxic water bodies to collect and sell discarded materials for survival.

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#12521405

1 July 2025

A man swims through the heavily polluted waters of the Mithi River while towing a makeshift raft filled with recyclable plastic waste in Mumbai, India, on July 1, 2025. Informal waste pickers often risk their health navigating toxic water bodies to collect and sell discarded materials for survival.

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#12448286

6 June 2025

Plastic waste is seen on a beach in Mumbai, India, on June 6, 2025. Discarded bottles, wrappers, and other debris not only mar the coastline but also disrupt marine life and local ecosystems, an issue worsened by India's monsoon-driven climate.

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#12448287

6 June 2025

Plastic waste is seen on a beach in Mumbai, India, on June 6, 2025. Discarded bottles, wrappers, and other debris not only mar the coastline but also disrupt marine life and local ecosystems, an issue worsened by India's monsoon-driven climate.

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#12448288

6 June 2025

Plastic waste is seen on a beach in Mumbai, India, on June 6, 2025. Discarded bottles, wrappers, and other debris not only mar the coastline but also disrupt marine life and local ecosystems, an issue worsened by India's monsoon-driven climate.

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#12448289

6 June 2025

Plastic waste is seen on a beach in Mumbai, India, on June 6, 2025. Discarded bottles, wrappers, and other debris not only mar the coastline but also disrupt marine life and local ecosystems, an issue worsened by India's monsoon-driven climate.

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#12448290

6 June 2025

A dog is near plastic waste on a beach in Mumbai, India, on June 6, 2025. Discarded bottles, wrappers, and other debris mar the coastline and disrupt marine life and local ecosystems, an issue worsened by India's monsoon-driven climate.

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#12445328

5 June 2025

Nepali students and volunteers take part in a plantation ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 5, 2025, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The day is celebrated across the world with the slogan 'Alleviating plastic pollution: our responsibility'. The United Nations (UN) calls for the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 every year since 1973. According to the United Nations, 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced on Earth every year, with only 10 percent of the waste being recycled, and 11 million tons of plastic being discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

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#12445329

5 June 2025

Nepali students and volunteers take part in a plantation ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 5, 2025, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The day is celebrated across the world with the slogan 'Alleviating plastic pollution: our responsibility'. The United Nations (UN) calls for the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 every year since 1973. According to the United Nations, 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced on Earth every year, with only 10 percent of the waste being recycled, and 11 million tons of plastic being discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

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#12445330

5 June 2025

Nepali students and volunteers take part in a plantation ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 5, 2025, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The day is celebrated across the world with the slogan 'Alleviating plastic pollution: our responsibility'. The United Nations (UN) calls for the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 every year since 1973. According to the United Nations, 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced on Earth every year, with only 10 percent of the waste being recycled, and 11 million tons of plastic being discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

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#12445331

5 June 2025

Nepali students and volunteers take part in a plantation ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 5, 2025, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The day is celebrated across the world with the slogan 'Alleviating plastic pollution: our responsibility'. The United Nations (UN) calls for the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 every year since 1973. According to the United Nations, 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced on Earth every year, with only 10 percent of the waste being recycled, and 11 million tons of plastic being discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

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