Project details
Status: Ongoing
Project period: 2025–2029
Principal: Research Council of Norway (RCN)
Coordinating institution: Norwegian Institute of Water Research
The purpose of the MAHAT project is to investigate the extent to which plastic recycling poses a health risk to workers at recycling facilities and to residents in surrounding areas in Chennai, India.
This is a rapidly growing industry that employs several hundred thousand people in India and exposes millions of residents in densely populated urban areas to potential air and water pollution.
The project will map the health impacts of plastic recycling by analyzing toxic chemicals released during recycling processes and by examining social conditions that amplify health risks for vulnerable groups.
We will focus on working and living conditions, exposure to harmful substances, self-reported health issues related to working in or living near plastic recycling facilities, access to personal protective equipment and healthcare services, as well as the broader social and structural factors that contribute to health inequalities and vulnerability.