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We are Sri Lanka's first on-demand mobile platform that facilitates a sustainable waste management solution for the end-user. We aim to provide convenient waste management solutions while educating users on the benefits of recycling. Eco Friends by Neptune focuses on helping households, and enterprises with a better and sustainable waste management process while supporting the entire ecosystem and key stakeholders.

The Eco Friends app was launched in 2019 as a technology-enabled waste management concept designed, developed, and operated by a few eco-conscious founders. Identifying the gap in the existing waste management process, a solution was built to provide a convenient and efficient disposal service that perfectly suits the busy lifestyles of today's consumers. The process also ensures that there is no leakage of waste into the environment within operations. The end-to-end service starts from the collection to the disposal of waste in a sustainable manner and all collected recyclable material is segregated and redistributed for the recycling process. EcoFriends goes further from the traditional waste collection with its Collect – Recycle – Reward model.

Having developed a technology solution for waste management, Eco Friends took the opportunity to strengthen and scale up its operation with the recent merger with the pioneer and one of the largest waste management companies in the country, Neptune Recyclers Pvt Ltd. Neptune brings technical and operational know-how to EcoFriends, while the app merges into the Neptune ecosystem as its digital arm of the recycling business.

The service acts as a fulfilment facilitator, linking homes and corporate institutes to local recyclers for their day-to-day waste disposal. Submission of recyclable waste is convenient through the app, where users simply enter the waste type and quantity of waste available. Following this, Neptune Eco Friends will dispatch a pickup during a 7-working day timeframe using a location-based user identification. Neptune Eco Friends rewards every waste contributor with eco points according to each waste category collected (glass, plastic, paper, e-waste, metal). Further to building an effective circular economy in Sri Lanka, the goal of Neptune Eco Friends is to use advanced digital technologies to monitor and distribute recycling material across Sri Lanka, making the waste materials more accessible for recyclers.

Staying true to our unique model, our model focuses on encouraging the local recycling partners and collectors in their daily waste collection process by providing the technology and the assurance of fulfilment, logistic, and proper market for the material.

A mobile-first digital solution for recycling waste collection

    Neptune Eco Friends is an Andriod and IOS mobile application that creates access to the sources of recyclable waste (end users) and provides a service that includes picking up the waste, sorting it in the warehouse and finally delivering it to a recycling plant. Sri Lanka has a high mobile and internet penetration rate and is growing, making it the ideal market to launch and test such an app. Big data and analytics are valuable data that can help to create new legislation.

Creating an eco-conscious community and rewarding recycling habits creation

  • The Neptune Eco Friends app not only informs and educates users of what materials can be recycled (through the app) and the best methods of refuse-reuse-recycling (through social media campaigns) it also rewards users with Eco Points which can be redeemed with partner merchants. This further creates a pull for recycling and encourages it.

Strengthening an already existing recycling network

  • It is another channel for recyclers to source waste material to run the plants to greater efficiency. By strengthening the network, more recycling plants can be encouraged in the country and less harmful material is released into the environment.
  • Ultimately, we hope to make recycling convenient and a way of life for all Sri Lankans.
  • Triolly Ltd. Our tech partner who carefully designed and developed the app and the backend system with a focus on the end-user was brought to life with elegantly written code and functionality. Furthermore, our new and extended team is now geared to take the Neptune Eco Friends to its maximum potential and be the number one technology-based waste management solution in the region.

Why Neptune Eco Friends

  • Sri Lanka generates 7000MT of solid waste per day, with the Western Province accounting for nearly 60% of waste generation. Only half of the waste generated is collected (Source – www.EFL.lk)
  • A death toll of 32 due to the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse in 2017 proved that no robust Government-led sustainable, recycling and waste disposal method is insight. Sri Lanka is also the top polluter of the Indian Ocean. Further, traditional recycling centres are running operations inefficiently due to insufficient recyclable waste collection or material simply not reaching the operation from the source. Fortunately, Sri Lankans are increasingly becoming eco-conscious but with no credible way of disposing of their waste.
  • The consequent failures to address the escalating issue of waste disposal in Sri Lanka have seen the degradation of wetlands, coastline, rivers and other streams that have become dumping sites for plastic and polythene waste, and other mixed waste. Landfills are ever-growing and have a direct impact on waves of dengue that claim lives which clearly shows how closely linked the problem of improper waste disposal is. Our initiative not only aims to educate Sri Lankans on better ways of refuse-reusing-recycling but rewards them - ultimately being a catalyst for habit changing and a better, sustainable community overall. These issues in culmination created an opportunity and drive for the team at Eco Friends to look for a solution.