2026 Reports

Sattvic Soul Foundation: A Journey to Sustainable Plastic Waste Management

Khanna, Manav; Kumar, Aswini; Thoronka, Jeremiah

Founded in 2019 by Satyabrata Samal, the Sattvic Soul Foundation is a Section 8 non-profit organization in India focused on reducing plastic pollution in coastal and urban areas through community-driven plogging drives, recycling programs, and educational campaigns. Over its first three years, the foundation engaged more than 1,000 volunteers in over 700 plogging drives across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, collecting more than 30,000 kilograms of plastic waste that is handed over to municipalities for recycling. Partnerships with the Indian Coast Guard, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Plastic Tide Turners, and WWF have expanded the foundation's reach through national initiatives such as the Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar Abhiyan coastal cleanup mobilization. Notable projects include Project SEA-HORSE, India's first water cycle made from waste materials that cleans water bodies using mechanical power without electricity, and the Lord Jagannath mural, described by the foundation as the world's largest artwork made from plastic bottle caps. The foundation's goals align with India's commitments to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Future plans include plastic recycling units in Tier 2 cities and plastic cafés near tourist destinations as hubs for environmental education, though scaling will depend on sustained funding.

Keywords: plogging, SDG, community engagement, plastic pollution