Turning the tide on plastic

How floating waste traps are protecting Pokhara’s iconic Phewa lake

November 13, 2026

Worker in safety vest, hard hat, and gloves stands in shallow water beside a blue modular barrier in a river.

Pokhara — Framed by the snow-capped Annapurna range, Phewa Lake is the beating heart of Pokhara’s identity and its tourism economy. Yet, beneath its postcard-perfect surface, this vital freshwater ecosystem is fighting a silent battle against a relentless tide of plastic.

Every monsoon, feeder streams like the Firke Khola wash tons of household plastics and discarded packaging directly into the lake. While local community groups have long led tireless weekend clean-ups, scooping plastic out of open waters is a grueling, endless race.

Polluted canal with a line of floating plastic bottles forming a barrier; concrete banks. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Now, a simple yet highly innovative preventive solution is turning the tide—intercepting plastic pollution directly at the source and transforming waste into a valuable resource.

Intercepting waste before it reaches the lake

Two floating waste traps have been installed at key locations along the waterways entering Phewa Lake.

The first installation featuring eight modular units is at the confluence of Bulaudi Khola and Firke Khola, behind the Baidam Police Office, covering Wards 6 and 17. The second, with seven floating units, is located near Annapurna Basic School, along the Annapurna School corridor, covering Wards 6 and 7.

Two workers in hi-vis vests stand by a blue railing along a river with pipes across water. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Installed diagonally across rushing streams, they intercept and collect floating debris, guiding it safely toward designated riverbank recovery points while allowing clean water and natural sediment to flow harmlessly underneath.

Secured by high-tensile steel cables and heavy-duty concrete anchors, these structures are built to withstand the elements. Crucially, local caretakers and municipal personnel have been fully trained and equipped with safety gear to ensure the booms are regularly monitored and cleared.

Circular economy in action: Waste as a resource

What makes this initiative uniquely UNDP is its commitment to the circular economy.

Bystanders on a railing overlook a polluted canal littered with trash in a neighborhood. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Beyond preventing plastic pollution, the initiative demonstrates how discarded materials can be repurposed to address environmental challenges.

Recovered PET bottles have been incorporated into the floating boom structures, illustrating how materials commonly regarded as waste can be transformed into practical solutions.

Group of people standing in a row on a rocky riverbank, listening, with trees behind. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Speaking at the official handover ceremony, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, Mr. Dhanraj Acharya, emphasized that this initiative stretches far beyond lake conservation.

“The floating wase traps offer an opportunity to recover valuable materials from intercepted waste, which can subsequently be channeled into recycling and upcycling processes, creating local green livelihood opportunities. This aligns with our broader ambition to develop the Green Venture Zone (GVZ) as a circular economy hub, not just for Pokhara, but for Nepal."

Dhanraj Acharya, Mayor, Pokhara Metropolitan City

Group of people outdoors on a rocky trail, examining a paper document. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

“By intercepting plastic at the source and integrating it directly back into the circular economy, this initiative protects Pokhara's natural heritage and lays the groundwork for sustainable, green livelihoods. This pilot proves that simple, community-led technological innovations can drive the systemic transformations Nepal’s local governments are striving to achieve.”

Kyoko Yokosuka, Resident Representative, UNDP Nepal

Mayor Acharya added that these two installations serve as a pilot. Once their performance is evaluated, the city plans to replicate similar systems across other highly vulnerable stream inlets feeding into the lake.

A collective responsibility

Keeping Phewa Lake clean is not a task that ends at its shores. It requires a fundamental shift in how communities, businesses, and individuals perceive waste.

People in life jackets stand around a circular pool with clear water, bordered by a stone wall. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Through the Green Job Creation through Recycling and Upcycling project, KOICA and UNDP are working closely with Pokhara Metropolitan City to strengthen local policies and institutional coordination for circular waste systems, help local recycling and upcycling enterprises scale up to create sustainable employment and drive grassroots awareness so that citizens stop viewing waste as useless garbage, and start seeing it as a valuable economic resource.

As the sun sets over the Annapurnas, reflecting beautifully off a cleaner Phewa Lake, the message is clear: protecting Nepal’s natural heritage begins upstream, in the minds of our communities, and along the waterways that connect us all.