Nestlé India, in collaboration with Gati Foundation, a Dehradun-based environmental action and advocacy group, launched a project in Dehradun and Mussoorie for effectively managing post-consumer plastic waste. Recognizing the need for an organized waste management system around the ‘Maggi points’ on the Dehradun-Mussoorie highway and around the tourist points in Mussoorie, a mobile van named Plastic Express will travel around these shops collecting Maggi wrappers and other dry plastic waste from these outlets. The collected dry waste will be disposed responsibly by Nestlé India. Working towards the ambition that no plastic waste should end up discarded in the environment, this year-long project aims at engaging around 200 ‘Maggi Points’ in the hill towns for collecting and disposing plastic waste responsibly.
Speaking about the initiative, Sanjay Khajuria, director of Corporate Affairs, Nestlé India, said, “We believe that tackling the issue of plastic waste requires a collective approach. Through this project we will be working with stakeholders who will properly collect, segregate and dispose Multilayered Plastics (MLP) to the end of its life. We are happy to collaborate with Gati Foundation to help us progress towards the journey of managing plastic waste effectively.”
Anoop Nautiyal, founder, Gati Foundation said, “While this collaboration is a step towards reducing plastic waste by engaging with outlets, it is equally important to drive awareness among consumers for effective collection and segregation of used plastic packaging. We hope that we will be able to collectively make a significant difference in plastic waste management over the next few years.”
In an attempt to engage with consumers and bring about a behavioral change about the need for disposing plastic waste responsibly, Nestlé India initiated the ‘2 Minute Safaai Ke Naam’ (2 minutes for cleanliness) in Dehradun and Mussoorie last year. In the second phase of this project, Nestlé India is working with Mussoorie Nagar Palika Parishad (MNPP) and RECITY Network by implementing an integrated plastic waste management system in Mussoorie.
