Recycled Tetra Pak benches installed at office of District Collector Mumbai Suburb

Mumbai, Maharashtra: As a progressive initiative by the district administration, benches made of recycled Tetra Pak cartons have been set up in the visitor area, office of District Collector Mumbai Suburb, to raise awareness about the tangible positive impact of recycling. These benches carry a strong message about the power of collective action.

The initiative took place today under the guidance of Nidhi Choudhary, District Collector and District Magistrate and Dr. Vikas Naik, Additional District Magistrate. It demonstrated how recyclable waste like Tetra Pak cartons can be converted into a wealth of new items like benches and desks.

Nidhi Choudhary said, “At Mumbai suburban, we are committed to protecting the planet, and I strongly believe that recycling can be a powerful tool in this mission. We are pleased to have these benches made of recycled Tetra Pak cartons on our premises, and hope that it will inspire citizens to, firstly, choose environmentally friendly recyclable products, and then segregate their waste to support recycling.”

Choudhary, during her stint as Joint Commissioner MCGM was instrumental in implementing legislations around waste management. She has also installed solar energy panels in the offices of District Collector Raigad and now in Mumbai Suburban. She strongly advocates 3Rs (Reuse, Refuse and Recycle) in her personal and professional life.

Through better waste segregation and recycling, it is possible to reduce the amount of waste being dumped by 85-90%. The district has introduced many interventions for source segregation of waste and recycling over the past few years. These benches made of recycled Tetra Pak cartons are a tangible example for consumers to adopt recycling in their lives.

As a responsible corporate, leading food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak has been running a consumer awareness program called Go Green with Tetra Pak campaign in Mumbai since 2010. Under this programme, 54 Reliance Retail stores act as drop off points for used cartons, allowing consumers to recycle cartons easily, further supported by over 150 other locations like RWAs, schools, churches and more.

Over the years, the programme has helped collect and recycle over 9.5 million cartons, donating nearly 400 desks and over one lakh other recycled products to less privileged schools. In addition, over 300 garden benches have been gifted to various housing societies, parks and other public places across Mumbai.