The partnership will be executed under PCMC’s ‘Zero Waste Management through CSR Program’ and Bisleri’s CSR initiative, Bottles for Change’. Through this initiative, the city will be sensitized towards 100% source segregation and effective plastic waste management to ensure recycling and achieve “Zero Plastic Waste to Landfill”. Bisleri will also support a Material Recovery Facility in PCMC and aims to collect around per year 360 MT of used plastic waste per year and send it for recycling. The partnership will be for three years.

K. Ganesh, Director of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs at Bisleri International, expressed the company’s commitment to sustainability: “Our collaboration with PCMC underscores the potential of community engagement in driving sustainable change. By raising awareness about source segregation and instituting collection mechanisms, a substantial amount of plastic waste can be diverted from the city landfills and create a pathway for a circular economy. As part of our Bottles for Change campaign, this is a critical step forward in our mission to advance environmental sustainability and positive impact on communities.”

Nilkanth Poman, CSR Head, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said, “At PCMC, we believe that true progress comes from inclusive and sustainable development. Through this MoU with Bisleri International for the Zero Waste Slum Project, we aim to empower communities with the knowledge and tools to manage waste responsibly. Our focus is on creating cleaner neighborhoods, enhancing health outcomes, and building environmental awareness from the ground up. We are proud to collaborate on this initiative that reflects our shared vision of a greener, healthier future for all citizens.”

Sachin Pawar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Health Department), said, “We are pleased to implement the Bottles for Change initiative in collaboration with Bisleri International as part of our Zero Waste Management Program. This partnership will not only strengthen our efforts in plastic waste segregation and recycling but also empower citizens through education and community engagement. Together, we aim to create a cleaner and more sustainable Pimpri-Chinchwad.”

“The PCMC is committed to building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable city for all its residents. Through this partnership with Bisleri International for the Zero Waste Slum Project, we are taking a significant step towards promoting responsible waste management and community-driven change. This initiative will not only enhance the quality of life in slum areas but also set an example for sustainable urban living across the country. We look forward to working together to create a zero-waste model that can be replicated widely in the entire 8 Zones/ Wards of PCMC,” shared Shekhar Singh, Commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)

This collaboration aims to take significant steps toward effective plastic waste management in the city, ensuring 100% recycling of collected plastic waste. The initiative aligns with Bisleri’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Bisleri’s ‘Bottles for Change’ initiative addresses critical challenges in plastic waste management by creating awareness among citizens, promoting responsible plastic usage, disposal, and recycling. The program highlights the recyclability and eco-friendliness of PET bottles, helping reshape perceptions around plastics as valuable resources rather than waste.

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PUNE: Twelve start-ups have converted innovative plastic waste management solutions into new business models, saving a whopping 124,360 tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions collectively in the last 12 months.  These startups are part of the Marico Innovation Foundation (MIF)’s plastics portfolio that was featured in the ‘Innovation in Plastics: The Potential and Possibilities’ playbook, in January 2023.  MIF released this and other data points at the Plastics Program Roundup 2023-24, a day-long event, here today. This stock-taking reviewed the impact of MIF’s focused intervention in the plastic waste management value chain providing opportunities for innovators to address the plastics problem.

According to the MIF’s playbook, India’s plastic consumption growth has been alarming, increasing from 14 million tonnes in 2016-17 to 20 million tonnes in 2019-20. During the same period, the plastic waste output also doubled. What is more disturbing is that despite generating 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, India only recycles 30%.

In this context, it is notable how MIF-supported startups have made significant strides in developing innovative solutions to address the challenge of plastic waste. For instance, Ibanss and Dharaksha have effectively managed 60 tons of agricultural waste using biocraft innovation technology and mycelium respectively. Other startups, including Ishitva, Ibanss, Ricron, Padcare, Bintix, Dharaksha, and Angirus have collectively saved 124,360 tons of CO2 emissions, validating MIF’s focus on innovations that create social, economic, and environmental impact.

Then, there are others in the portfolio like Padcare which has recycled 37 tons of sanitary pads, preserving 74,000 km of landfill area. Ishitva Robotics’ AI-based sorting machine has sorted 100,000 tons of plastic waste, significantly impacting energy conservation by saving 265,000 tons of oil barrels. Innovators like Ricron Panels and Angirus have recycled 1,338 tons of plastic waste through innovative construction products. Bintix, which focuses on household waste management, has collected 360 tons of plastic waste, contributing to biodiversity conservation and waste reduction while preserving 8,300 trees.

Harsh Mariwala, Founder, of Marico Innovation Foundation, said, “MIF is at the forefront of the innovation journey in plastic waste management.  Our commitment to innovation is what drives us to identify and address challenges for the short, mid, and long term. This initiative can be a game-changer for India as we move ahead in addressing the plastics problem.  I believe that by providing a nurturing environment that goes beyond capital, we can build a prototype for plastic waste management for the rest of the world to deploy.”

Amit Chandra, Honorary Chairperson of the Governing Council of Marico Innovation Foundation, added, “Our Plastics Program has supported innovative solutions poised to revolutionize the waste management sector. As consumerism continues to surge, there is immense scope for innovations to address challenges across the value chain.”  He added, “MIF is proud to support the journey of disruptive innovators and contribute to ecosystem building for sustainable innovations.”

Suranjana Ghosh, Head of Marico Innovation Foundation, highlighted MIF’s instrumental role in nurturing innovators in the plastic waste management sector. “Since the launch of the playbook, MIF has taken the lead in following its recommendations, prioritizing the support, and nurturing of startups. This commitment has led to significant strides, with our interventions resulting in multi-crore deal orders alongside other value-driven initiatives for entrepreneurs. These endeavors underscore our dedication to driving tangible outcomes and fostering a thriving ecosystem for sustainable innovation,” she remarked.

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The LOT system (Liquid Off Take) is the world’s first high-efficiency dry-type vaporizer and has advanced safety features. The Micro LPG System has the potential to unlock savings of up to 1200 Cr per annum for commercial customers and for the country as a whole, which is not achieved due to LPG residue currently being left unusable in the 19kg commercial cylinders. Optimizing LPG usage and reducing wastage, aligns perfectly with India’s goals for sustainable energy utilization.

Jesal Sampat, Executive Director, of Pune Gas, said, “I’m thrilled to introduce LPGenius, a true game-changer in the world of LPG management. LPGenius reflects our commitment to innovation and efficiency. With its compact design, rapid setup, enhanced safety features, and enabling zero residue in LPG cylinders, it’s a testament to our dedication to delivering sustainable, intelligent solutions for our customers.“

The system offers the flexibility of using single or dual Liquid Off-Take (LOT) cylinders, allowing for easy LPG usage. Users can select from two LPG output capacities, with options for 5 kg/hr or 10 kg/hr. Safety is paramount, with all essential safety features integrated into the system to guarantee a secure operation. The system incorporates a vaporizer with a capacity of up to 15 kg/hr, ensuring a steady LPG supply. It is ergonomically designed to be compact and offers plug-and-play convenience, eliminating the need for installation hassles and saving valuable time.

Pune Gas, a pioneer in providing solutions for industrial and commercial gas users, has taken on the challenge of finding a sustainable remedy for the issue of LPG residue left unused in commercial cylinders. Their Micro LPG System aims to redefine how commercial LPG users engage with cylinders, making it more efficient and cost-effective. This solution is compact, organized, and efficient, making it an excellent option for commercial LPG users who are looking for a hassle-free and safe solution to the problem of cylinder sweating and freezing.

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The collaboration between EKA Mobility and Pune Municipal Corporation is a testament to the power of public and private sector partnerships in driving innovation and sustainability. The electric garbage tipper vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, have a high payload capacity, operate quietly, and have an extended range, making them ideal for efficient and effective waste collection and transportation.

EKA Mobility’s commitment to fostering a greener future aligns perfectly with Pune Municipal Corporation’s vision of enhancing the city’s environmental profile and improving the quality of life for its residents. The company’s cutting-edge battery technology provides these vans with an impressive range, ensuring uninterrupted operation throughout the day.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Hirdesh Thakur highlighted: “We are honored to support Pune Municipal Corporation in their endeavor to create a cleaner and more sustainable urban environment. EKA Mobility is committed to leveraging innovation and technology to address urban challenges, and we are confident that these electric garbage tipper vans will play a pivotal role in Pune’s mission to improve the city’s cleanliness in a sustainable manner. This is a proud moment for all of us as the citizens of Pune as our city embraces the idea of environment-conscious mobility to improve the quality of life of Punekars in a sustainable manner. We look forward to working closely with the PMC team to deploy more electric vehicles and becoming the first Indian city to adopt 100% green mobility to its fleet.“

The introduction of these electric garbage tipper vans will undoubtedly improve the overall quality of life in Pune by reducing pollution and enhancing the efficiency of waste management operations. EKA Mobility’s electric garbage collection vans had successfully completed trials for several months with PMC before handing over the current fleet.

Key Features of the EKA Mobility 1.5-Tonne Electric Garbage Tipper Vans:

1. Zero-Emission Operation: These electric garbage collection vans produce zero tailpipe emissions, substantially reducing the carbon footprint associated with waste collection.
2. High Payload Capacity: The 1.5-tonne capacity ensures efficient and effective waste collection and transportation, contributing to cleaner and more hygienic urban spaces.
3. Noise Reduction: These electric vehicles operate quietly, minimizing noise pollution in residential areas during collection hours.
4. Extended Range: EKA Mobility’s cutting-edge battery technology provides these vans with an impressive range, ensuring uninterrupted operation throughout the day.
5. Advanced Safety Features: Equipped with modern safety features, the vans ensure the well-being of waste collection crews and other road users.

EKA Mobility’s vision is to bring reliable and efficient mobility solutions to the masses, and their sharable technologies and low-investment production processes will enable the lowest TCO and democratize electric vehicles for mass adaptation.

EKA Mobility’s partnership with Pune Municipal Corporation is a significant step towards sustainable urban development and environmentally conscious waste management practices in Pune. The introduction of these electric garbage tipper vans will undoubtedly improve the overall quality of life in Pune and establish the city as a model for sustainable urban development.

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Participating universities and colleges included NMIMS Bengaluru, T John College, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), International Institute of Information Technology (IIITB), Indus Business Academy, Bengaluru, and International School of Business & Research (ISBR). The competition was judged based on criteria such as spontaneity, content, topic adherence, on-stage presentation, coordination, creativity, innovation, explanation, and utility.

In the AD MAD competition, teams of 3-5 students were given a maximum of 15 minutes of preparation time to showcase their advertising skills on surprise topics. The performances ranged from 60 seconds to 3 minutes and included various forms of advertising such as skits, jingles, slogans, banners, and innovative presentations. The Best Out of Waste competition saw teams of 3-4 students display their resourcefulness by crafting innovative and useful products from household and stationery waste.

The talented teams from the International School of Business & Research (ISBR) walked away with all the prizes in both categories. The first prize in the AD MAD contest went to Crux comprising Adarsh, Shivam, Saurabh, Vidhi, and Ishika; the second prize went to Kushal, Surya, Somitha, Khushi, and Avneet of the Black Wings team, and the third prize was won by the Stalwarts team consisting of Abhishek, Ishita, Mehak, and Shiffan. The three teams that won the Best of the Waste contest were Tamanna, Samreen, Gnanasri, and Shivangini of the Prodigies team, Avishi, Tejal, Grishma, and Bhagyashree of the Upchay team, and finally Kashish, Shreya, Akansha, and Neha of the Trailblazers team.

The first three winning teams of the competitions were awarded cash prizes of Rs. 7,000, Rs. 5,000, and Rs.3,000, respectively. The event was filled with enthusiasm, collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to promoting eco-friendly practices. NMIMS Bengaluru is proud to have hosted an event that encouraged students to think creatively and contribute to a sustainable future.

Dr. Narayani Ramachandran, Deputy Director, NMIMS Bengaluru, said, “AD MAD and Best out of Waste were not just competitions; they provided a stage for young minds to spark their creativity and imagination to craft memorable advertisements and innovate creatively with what we consider waste. I’m thrilled to witness the incredible talent and innovation showcased by these students. It was a pleasure to witness healthy competition and camaraderie among students of various institutes. We hope to conduct more such events to inculcate the importance of collaboration and collective growth.“

NMIMS Bengaluru’s School of Business Management (SBM) campus has been ranked first in the “Top B-Schools under Private Universities” category in Karnataka by Open Magazine. NMIMS Bengaluru was ranked second in the city-wise category by Fortune India Magazine and was awarded a rating of A+++ by Business India Magazine. Business Today Magazine ranked NMIMS Bengaluru third in the city-wise category, seventh in the south-zone category, and 15th among the private B-schools.

Overall, the AD MAD and Best Out of Waste Intercollegiate Competition was a huge success, showcasing the talent and creativity of students from various colleges and promoting eco-friendly practices. NMIMS Bengaluru hopes to continue hosting such events to encourage collaboration and collective growth among students.

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The launch event took place on May 17, 2023, at Kesari Wada, Narayan Peth, Pune. The Chief Guest on the occasion was the Hon’ble Guardian Minister of Pune, Shri Chandrakant Dada Patil Ji. The event also witnessed the presence of Vikram Kumar, Pune Municipal Commissioner, Kunal Khemnar, Additional Commissioner and Asha Raut, Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management Department), and Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Ashish Bhandari, Rajeev Kher, Indraneel Chitale, Manoj Pochat, and Ravi Pandit from PPCR, Mahesh Suryawanshi from Dagdusheth Trust, and Pune brand ambassadors for Swachh Bharat Mission, Dr. Saleel Kulkarni and Rutuja Bhosle.

Being executed by two agencies – Social Labs and Janwani – for a duration of 12 months, the campaign aims to achieve three primary deliverables – 100% waste collection, 80% waste segregation at source, and the removal of all chronic spots/garbage vulnerable points (GVPs) from the area. A primary survey with 85 waste pickers and 7,575 citizens in the area was undertaken earlier to decide on the course of action. The campaign is anticipated to impact more than 2.8 lakh people, including approximately 85,000 residences, 23,000 commercial establishments, and 12,000 slums. The project will also endeavor to remove nearly 240 chronic spots.

Commenting on the campaign, Ashish Bhandari, Co-lead, PPCR, said, “This is a one-of-its-kind initiative where various corporates, NGOs, voluntary groups and urban local body have come forward to spread mass awareness among citizens. We firmly believe in contributing to the well-being of the environment through sustainable waste management practices. We are proud to partner in this campaign with PMC, which substantiates our vision of a cleaner tomorrow, and are confident that this initiative will set a benchmark for other Pune wards to follow.”

Vikram Kumar, from PMC, said, “We are excited to launch this pilot project in Kasba-Vishrambauag Wada which will be further implemented across the city to ensure 100 percent coverage and segregation in the city. This will help PMC to eliminate the garbage vulnerable points, maximize processing of the waste and improve the recycling of waste to ensure circular economy.”

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MUMBAI: Pluckk – an environment-friendly food-tech venture today announced being certified as a Plastic Neutral Brand. Pluckk which is one of the fastest-growing D2C brands in the Fruits & Vegetables (FnV) category, will now recycle more plastic than it consumes thereby becoming the first Indian company in FnV space to receive this certification.

This commitment towards being plastic-positive – is endorsed by ReCircle, which is a resource recovery enterprise working towards a sustainable future, preventing resources from entering landfills and oceans by recycling, repurposing, and reusing, and directing them back into the economy with a vision of ethical circularity.

Commenting on the certification Pratik Gupta, CEO of Pluckk said, “Of the seven billion tonnes of plastic waste that is generated globally, only 10% gets recycled. This leaves a huge scope for companies to act responsibly and work towards bridging that gap. We at Pluckk are delighted to be the 1st F&V brand to be certified as “Plastic Neutral”. With this move, we aim to recycle much more plastic than we consume for our daily packaging. We are keenly aware of the plastic distributed with orders and want to adopt a 360-degree plan to reduce our plastic consumption in our endeavor to protect the environment.”

“ReCircle is happy to announce that Pluckk, a nature-conscious brand has joined our fight against plastic waste, and they will help us to divert it from going into landfills and oceans. So let’s collaborate and ‘Pluckk’ out waste from nature,” said Rahul Nainani, Co-founder and CEO, of ReCircle.

Pluckk’s Plastic-Return initiative, also allows customers to return the plastic packaging of their orders during the delivery of their next order. Furthermore, customers in Mumbai can also organize pick-ups of plastic waste using ReCircle’s Plastic Collection facilities.

Taking this association with ReCircle one step further, Pluckk aims to collect 6000 kgs of plastic waste from getting into landfills, oceans & dumping grounds. The company is also looking at more innovative solutions to go plastic-free.

Being one of the fastest growing D2C brands in the Fruits & Vegetables (FnV) category with a wide range of 250+ products of essentials, exotics, and pan-ready meal kits, Pluckk becomes the first Indian company in the Fruits & Vegetables (FnV) space to receive this certification.

The Pluckk app recently crossed over 100K customers with a strong network of 1000+ farmers. It provides customers with the highest quality – safe, hygienic, ozone-washed, traceable, ethically grown farm-to-fork fresh food options in formats that address their lifestyle needs.

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