EcoPlastile Ltd, an eco-inclusive enterprise working with youth and women to collect and process waste plastics into low-cost, durable timber substitutes, has been declared a winner for Next Innovation with Japan (NINJA) Business Innovation Challenge in response to COVID-19. With the award comes a debt and equity free grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to enable Ecoplastile to procure better machines and run a pilot commercial production and sales. 

While EcoPlastile normally makes Ecopoles and Ecofloor tiles in place of wooden timber, they have begun making masks during the coronavirus pandemic, widening their social impact to create over 150 jobs for marginalised youths and women. By creating masks, EcoPlastile is reducing the spread of COVID-19 while also reducing the number of single-use masks that contribute to plastic waste.