The Flipflopi Project, based in the Lamu Archipelago, Kenya, is addressing plastic pollution and deforestation through community-led recycling, heritage preservation, and sustainable manufacturing. With SMEP support, the project established a Material Recovery and Recycling Facility (MRRF), advanced R&D into recycled plastic structural integrity, and launched a Heritage Boat Building Training Centre.
A key insight for the SMEP Programme from Flipflopi’s journey is the critical role that flexible funding plays in enabling effective R&D. In this case, challenges such as the variability of plastic waste, inconsistent material quality, and unexpected equipment needs are not known at the outset and cannot always be foreseen in a proposal. The Flipflopi team was required to iterate on solutions, adapt processing methods, and invest in new technologies. Similarly, developing innovative training methods for artisans transitioning from wood to recycled plastic demanded adaptability and hands-on experimentation.
These R&D breakthroughs would not have been possible under rigid funding conditions. Flipflopi’s success underscores that, for projects working at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment, grant mechanisms must allow for flexibility in scope, budgeting, and timelines to accommodate the inherently dynamic nature of research, learning, and innovation.
In 2020, the Flipflopi Project pitched the proposal to SMEP Programme: To pioneer a community-centred approach across the Lamu Archipelago, Kenya, to address plastics wastes, localising recycling and culturally-relevant production for income generation for the local community, building skills through vocational training, while advocating for the elimination of single-use plastics at a local and regional level. An ambitious vision indeed. Now in April 2024, the journey with SMEP has concluded, and we reflect on the role that flexibility in funding played, enabling the research and development aspects to inform decisions that ultimately underpin the long term viability of this initiative.
The Flipflopi Project represents an innovative fusion of sustainability, heritage, and community empowerment. Flipflopi has implemented a viable collection and mechanical recycling facility in response to the significant environmental challenges of increasing plastic pollution in the archipelago and region and the depletion of hardwood resources due to deforestation. SMEP funding enabled three complementary workstreams:
- Material Recovery and Recycling Facility (MRRF) establishment
- Extract plastic from various sources, e.g. households, open dumping
- Prevent plastic from reaching the ocean
- Create a sustainable, closed loop economy in the Lamu Archipelago
- Research and development for structural integrity of manufactured products: enabling their safe and effective use in real-world applications while supporting circular economy goals.
- Heritage boat building training centre to teach both traditional and modern working-with-plastics techniques.
With the support of the SMEP Programme, the project has made impressive strides in research and development (R&D), particularly in the areas of structural integrity, heritage boatbuilding, and the establishment of an MRRF. This review reflects on the R&D aspects highlighting the challenges faced, the innovations introduced, and the ongoing impact of the project.
Material Recovery and Recycling Facility (MRRF) and Circular Economy
A central objective of the Flipflopi R&D progress has been the establishment of a sustainable MRRF in the Lamu Archipelago. This is central to the project aim of a “circular economy” (or closed loop), where plastic waste is collected, processed, and repurposed to create new products, thus reducing the amount of plastic entering the ocean and protecting the local environment from the impacts of this pollution. The facility also contributes to local economic development by providing livelihood-improvement opportunities in waste collection, sorting, and processing and more skilled opportunities in the MRRF, manufacturing, sales and training divisions.
The facility is served by plastic collections from local island communities and surrounding areas, including the Lamu County mainland.
However, the process of improving the sorting and cleaning of the plastic waste proved more complex than initially anticipated. The team encountered both wash line and processing difficulties when working with plastics that had a higher concentration of fillers or were contaminated with other materials, as certain plastics did not behave as expected when submerged in water, and the increased toxicity of fumes during processing posed additional health and safety concerns.
Research and Development for Structural Integrity
A primary goal of the Flipflopi R&D efforts has been to ensure that recycled plastic materials meet the necessary standards for durability and structural integrity, particularly for the construction of boats. Traditional boats in the Lamu Archipelago have been made from hardwoods like teak, mango, and mahogany, materials known for their strength and resilience in maritime conditions. However, as these hardwoods become increasingly scarce due to deforestation, and are being rapidly replaced by unrecyclable fibre glass boats, there is an urgent need for alternative materials that can maintain the same level of functionality.
The major challenge in achieving this goal has been the unpredictable and variable nature of plastic waste. For example, when working with Polypropylene (PP) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), the team discovered that certain products had higher concentrations of fillers that made them more brittle and less suited for boat and furniture construction.
To factor this reality, processing methods were adjusted. The Flipflopi team enhanced the production line by introducing better sorting processes and also identified where additional equipment was required, such as a sheet press and an agglomerator so as to increase the range of options to utilise waste plastics for different purposes. The agglomerator has enabled the mixing of different plastics to create a material that maintains the necessary strength and flexibility for constructing boats and other products.
These findings highlighted a lack of regulation in the regions where the plastics are manufactured and revealed that the standard categories used for sorting plastics (e.g. PP, HDPE) were insufficient for recycling purposes.
Heritage Boat Building Training Centre
Flipflopi aims to preserve and promote the traditional knowledge of boat-building in Lamu through the establishment of a Heritage Boat Building Training Centre. The centre provides training for local artisans in both traditional wooden boat-building techniques and the methods required to work with recycled plastic. This dual approach not only helps to keep the cultural heritage of the region alive, but also build new local skill sets that are relevant to contemporary environmental challenges.
The project, under SMEP funding, implemented training courses in the construction of both sailing and motorised vessels from recycled plastic, as well as artisanal furniture.
The integration of heritage and innovation has been applied to the furniture manufacture, which has unique market appeal. The approach also ensures opportunities for the traditional practices to endure and provides new markets for these heritage skills. The approach has not been without challenges. Local artisans who were accustomed to working with hardwood had to learn how to manipulate recycled plastic, a material that behaves differently in construction. To address this, Flipflopi provided hands-on training and also created a collaborative environments where artisans could experiment and adapt their techniques. This approach has proven successful, as artisans are now able to combine their traditional knowledge with modern innovations, creating a new form of craftsmanship that is both sustainable and culturally significant.
Reflections and Learnings
Flipflopi’s establishment of the self-sustaining MRRF facility at Lamu and the successful manufacture of unique product lines from recycled plastics underscores the important role grant funding plays in research, design and knowledge production.
Flipflopi has demonstrated a model that has potential for other remote and coastal communities facing similar environmental and economic challenges. As the project continues to evolve, its impact on both the local community and the broader global conversation on sustainability will undoubtedly inspire further action in mitigating plastic pollution and promoting circular economies. To this end, the Flipflopi toolkit offers step-by-step advice to recyclers, building off project experience. Further, the importance of stricter regulations on plastic production and more detailed categorisations of plastic types to improve the efficiency of recycling efforts, has been highlighted by Flipflopi, and with networks forged this is a topic which they are likely to play a role in championing forward in the coming years.
Alexa von Geusau
SMEP PMA Programme Manager and Plastics Portfolio Manager, with inputs from Amanda Dinan
