SMEP Resources

Dirty, difficult and dangerous: Establishing a plastics waste upcycling system in Nepal
The growing global issue of plastic waste can be offset by upcycling it into new and useful products. This article relays the lessons from the Plastic to Ghar upcycling project in Nepal.

Solutions in Traditional Knowledge: Gravity water filters
This study examines the challenge of improving water access to meet SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), while also reducing dependence on plastic-based water delivery systems, such as those using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sachets by considering the traditional technology of ceramic gravity filters.

Database for tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes
A global shift towards non-plastic materials holds significant potential to deliver economic opportunities for the developing world. A new database tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes is now available on UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) online Data Hub.

Poisoned power: Why lead-acid batteries need a cleaner and greener alternative
Invented more than 160 years ago, lead-acid batteries, which are reliable and cheap, are still the most widely used rechargeable batteries despite containing toxic lead. The UNCTAD Weekly Tradecast looks at lead-acid batteries and why they remain so popular despite the world moving towards greener energy with UN Trade and

Fashion with a peel: How crop waste is making sustainable textiles and creating jobs
For every banana or pineapple we eat, much of the plant is discarded during harvesting or processing. The UNCTAD Weekly Tradecast looks at how we can make sustainable fabrics and other materials recycled from agricultural waste with UN Trade and Development economist Henrique Pacini.

That’s rubbish: How our waste is choking the planet and how we can clean it up
From plastic packaging to fast fashion to car batteries, we have been creating mountains of waste for decades. This episode of the Weekly Tradecast talks trash with UNCTAD economist Henrique Pacini.