Challenge Name

In 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC). The competition had received 159 teams coming from six ASEAN countries (Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia) applied to the challenge with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution in Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) and Samui Island (Thailand). After that, 14 solutions with excellent performance were selected to participate in a 3-month incubation program organized by UNDP Impact AIM and Vietnam Silicon Valley.
The EPPIC Pitching Competition took place in January 2021 and four teams were awarded as EPPIC Winners. The 4 winners included Galaxy Biotech – cassava-based breathable bags, GreenJoy – grass straws, Refill Day, and CIRAC – a system to convert aluminum laminated thermoplastic found in snack and food packaging into valuable products and materials then entered a 9-month incubation program and received USD 18,000 to implement their innovative solutions in Ha Long City and Koh Samui. To continue supporting these projects in expanding the market as well as creating a resonance effect with the contest “Ideas, initiatives, solutions on sorting, collecting, recycling and reusing plastic waste” in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province, UNDP and VASI have cooperated with Farmers’ Union in Quang Ninh province to establish and operate EPPIC Shop.