magine a world where your leftover plastic isn’t just trash cluttering your home but rather a potential source of income. That’s where a waste management app comes into play. This tool aims to create a bridge between households and waste buyers, helping to ensure that recyclable plastics find a new life rather than ending up in landfills.

With just a few taps on their phones, users can list items they no longer need. Local waste buyers can then see what’s available in their area. This convenience can encourage more people to recycle, knowing that not only are they helping the environment, but they’re also getting something back in return. By turning the act of recycling into a simple transaction, we might just see a shift in how people view waste and its value.

One of the most significant benefits of a waste management app is its potential to create income-generating avenues for housewives and low-income individuals. Many families struggle to make ends meet and a little extra cash can help significantly. By allowing users to sell their recyclable materials, this app can empower individuals to earn money from what they would typically consider waste.

Think about it: stay-at-home moms could gather plastic bottles, cans and containers while managing their households and caring for their children. Once they have a decent collection, they can list these items on the app. It’s not just about the money; it also fosters a sense of responsibility towards the environment while promoting entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

The launch of the Plastech App in the Punjab is a commendable step towards addressing the pressing issue of plastic pollution. By bridging the gap between households and waste buyers, the app ensures that recyclable plastics are redirected towards reuse rather than ending up in landfills. This initiative promotes a circular economy, where waste materials regain value and contribute to environmental sustainability.

While the app has its advantages, it does miss an essential component — the value of plastic bags. Unlike other recyclable plastics that have market value, plastic bags are often given away for free at stores and are rarely recycled. This lack of perceived value is a fundamental flaw in the waste management ecosystem.

Plastic bags are among the most common types of litter. Their lightweight nature makes them especially troublesome. Without a way to derive value from these bags, they are likely to continue piling up. If the app could find a means to include plastic bags in its buying and selling model, we might start to see real changes in how people handle these materials.

The app is a fantastic initiative, especially in managing recyclable plastics that have established market value. Items such as PET bottles and certain types of containers can be sold quite easily through the platform. Once collected, these items can contribute to the recycling industry, allowing them to be turned into new products rather than wasted.

By turning the act of recycling into a simple transaction, we might just see a shift in how people view waste and its value.

However, the focus on these materials and the lack of a similar system for plastic bags presents a challenge. It’s important to recognise that while the app neatly facilitates the recycling of value-laden plastics, it can fall short in addressing the large volumes of low-value plastics, particularly those bags that people often toss without a second thought.

Here lies a crucial takeaway: when something is given away for free, it tends to be regarded as having no value. Plastic bags are a classic example of this idea. When consumers can acquire something without cost, it often ends up being treated as disposable, contributing heavily to pollution.

For a waste management app to succeed comprehensively, it must incorporate a model that assigns value to all types of plastic, including free items. To truly connect households with waste buyers and encourage broader recycling practices, an integrated solution that elevates the value of plastic bags is essential. Until that happens, we’re likely to continue facing the same challenges and heap more plastics on the growing waste pile.

To effectively tackle this issue, the government must integrate Plastech with the existing waste management system and assign an economic value to plastic waste. A government-backed waste procurement model can bridge this gap, ensuring plastic waste is collected, processed and repurposed into valuable products. This can be done in the following ways:

Government as a waste buyer – The waste management departments in all districts can actively purchase segregated plastic waste from individuals, waste collectors and businesses through the Plastech App. This creates direct monetary incentives for proper disposal, ensuring that plastic waste is treated as a resource rather than trash.

Utilising plastic waste for infrastructure projects – Collected plastic can be repurposed into eco-friendly road construction, a practice successfully implemented in several countries. Mixing recycled plastic with asphalt enhances road durability while significantly reducing plastic pollution.

Promoting recycled products – The government can encourage plastic-based industries to use recycled plastic for manufacturing items such as tiles, benches, and furniture. Providing subsidies or tax incentives to businesses using recycled plastic can boost demand and further reinforce the value of plastic waste.

Strengthening circular economy – By integrating Plastech App data with municipal waste collection services, the government can streamline waste collection, track waste movement and optimise recycling efforts. A data-driven approach will reduce landfill dependency, enhance resource efficiency and generate economic opportunities.

By taking such an integrated approach, the government can transform plastic waste from an environmental burden into a valuable economic resource. This not only ensures proper waste management but also creates new industries, jobs and infrastructure improvements—all while promoting a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

The writer is an associate professor in the Department of Economics, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus.