- Plastic Pioneers, led by Niall Elassi and Nicolas Killeen, turns plastic waste into products while providing jobs in Cape Town.
- The project employs several people, including vendors who sell recycled goods.
- They hope to expand, inspiring other communities to tackle pollution and unemployment together.
In the heart of Cape Town, a group of passionate young entrepreneurs is addressing two of the city’s pressing challenges: unemployment and plastic pollution.
Led by Niall Elassi and Nicolas Killeen from Hout Bay, Plastic Pioneers is transforming discarded plastic into valuable products while providing much-needed income opportunities to unemployed individuals in the city’s townships and surrounding areas.
It all started when Elassi, a nature lover, observed the overwhelming pollution along the township streets and local beaches.
Coupled with the stark reality of rising unemployment, he saw an opportunity to turn these two issues into a sustainable solution.
“We asked ourselves, how can we help people make a living while also cleaning up the environment?” explains Elassi.
Plastic profit
“That’s when we realised that the plastic people collect has monetary value.
“We could transform it into products, sell those products through vendors, and help people make a living.”
Plastic Pioneers operates from a workshop in Retreat, where the collected plastic is processed and transformed into items such as jewellery, carabineer and even roof tiles. The group has plans to launch a line of recycled plastic furniture soon.
“We focus on jewellery for the vendors because it’s easier to sell,” says Niall. “The vendors we work with, many of whom were previously unemployed, are stationed at traffic lights in the southern suburbs along the N3, and they also use SnapScan.”
So far, the project employs five people who collect material and two vendors selling products at busy intersections.
“On average, we would love that the vendors earn around R6 000 a month, which would help them support their families. It’s a scalable model that provides opportunities for those who were doing nothing before,” Elassi explains.
‘Incredible’ response
He adds that the response from the community has been incredible.
“This project has shown me that we have the ability to work together. We haven’t done any formal marketing, but people are already following us.”
The environmental impact of Plastic Pioneers is already evident. “We’ve collected around 460 kg of plastic so far, almost half a ton,” he proudly noted. But for him, the project is about more than just cleaning up streets and beaches. It’s about fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
“We can’t solve this problem alone. It requires everyone’s involvement, from individuals to large companies. We need to engage communities and put pressure on bigger businesses to invest in sustainable initiatives like ours,” he says.
Plastic Pioneers has also begun collaborating with a small enterprise in Khayelitsha that processes recyclables, allowing the project to expand its operations. As the group scales up, they aim to increase the number of vendors across the country, offering more people the chance to earn a living through selling eco-friendly products.
Elassi’s ultimate goal is to continue growing Pioneers while encouraging others to adopt similar models. “The beauty of this project is that it’s not just about business. It’s about making a lasting impact on the environment and creating opportunities for people who need them most.”
Through community collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to sustainability, Plastic Pioneers is proving that with the right approach, environmental and social challenges can become opportunities for positive change.
