Waste Management is a pressing problem faced by the metropolis today. Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions company, inaugurating its new is working closely with customers and suppliers to provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 170 countries. With more than 24,000 employees around the world, and a motto, “PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD™,” reflects its vision in the recycled classroom desks it has been providing to the needy.
The recycling initiative of Tetra Pak is an eight-year-old programme, spread across Mumbai. Till date, over 26 lakh cartons have been collected. It recently launched 175th used carton collection centre at ALM 116 Park, Bandra.”
Through the recycling initiative, Tetra Pak collects an average of 4.5 lakh cartons every year. So far, over 250 desks have been distributed to lesser privileged schools in Mumbai. Apart from school desks, Tetra Pak cartons are also recycled into notebooks, garden benches and Poly Al products planters, and roofing sheets. So far, over 20,000 notebooks have also been made and provided to lesser privileged children.
To make this possible through this citizens’ movement – Cartons Le Aao Classroom Banao – Mumbaikars can now head over to a number of collection centres across the city to deposit their used Tetra Pak cartons.
The collection centre has specially designed bins made out of recycled cartons where the people can deposit used cartons. While some of these collection centers can be easily accessed by the public, others are in locations such as schools, residential societies and offices which have restricted access.
Tetra Pak is also running a comprehensive digital and onground campaign to raise awareness about the initiative and inspire Mumbaikars.
Jaideep Gokhale, Communications Director, Tetra Pak South Asia said, “When we started the recycling program more than a decade ago, together with Sahakari Bhandar, Reliance Fresh and RUR Greenlife, we had not envisaged the support that we would receive from the Mumbaikars. What we need now is to raise more awareness among Mumbaikars about the initiative, for which we have launched a comprehensive digital and onground campaign – Cartons Le Aao, Classroom Banao – to inspire more citizens to do their bit.”
Today, Mumbaikars have access to 45 Sahakari Bhandar, Reliance Fresh, Reliance Smart stores and other Public Access Points that they can deposit used cartons at. Additionally, there are 130 Private Access Points like RWAs and schools that collect thousands of cartons every year. Details of the access points can be found here: www.cartonsleaao.com.
“We continue to receive queries from citizens across Mumbai, especially young students wanting to know how they can join the recycling program and adopt better waste management practices, and this truly inspires us to keep moving forward. Over the years, thousands of Mumbaikars have become part of this movement and made a meaningful difference to the environment and to the lives of lesser privileged children. I can only imagine the possibilities if all of Mumbai were to join the program,” adds Monisha Narke, Founder of RUR.