Closing the Loop on PET: The Maha-rPET Abhiyaan in Maharashtra

Recycling is only as effective as the system that feeds into it. For materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), what matters is not just whether they are collected, but how they are collected.

In Maharashtra, this question of how PET is collected has become central to enabling its reuse in beverage packaging.

Currently, PET bottles are widely collected and recycled, but much of this material is converted into fibres for applications such as clothing, rather than being reused in beverage packaging. As a result, new bottles continue to rely on virgin PET.

At the same time, regulatory direction in India now allows the use of recycled PET in beverage packaging. It mandates that the food and beverage industry incorporate 30 per cent recycled PET in production.

This brings a sharper focus to the system itself. For PET to be reused in packaging, it needs to be collected in a clean, food-grade form. However, recyclers currently face challenges in accessing clean, non-contaminated PET suitable for this purpose. The Maha-rPET Abhiyaan has been introduced to address this gap.

Enabling Clean Collection for Food-Grade Recycling

The Maha-rPET Abhiyaan is a statewide initiative led by the Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Maharashtra, in collaboration with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and Urban Local Bodies.

The initiative focuses on enabling the separate collection of clean, food-grade used PET so that it can be recycled into beverage packaging.

As part of its rollout, the Government of Maharashtra has introduced a dedicated bin for the separate collection of used PET bottles, beginning with Business-to-Business establishments such as hotels, malls, cinemas, offices, and other institutions.

This is a simple but important shift. By separating PET at the point of disposal, the material can be collected in a form that remains suitable for further processing.

Starting Where Collection Can Be Structured

The initiative begins with Business-to-Business (B2B) establishments, including:

- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Malls
- Cinemas
- Offices

Government and private establishments

These spaces form the starting point for implementing separate collection systems. With dedicated bins in place, they support consistent segregation practices and enable the collection of used PET in a clean and usable form.

From Separate Collection to Recycling Pathways

A key objective of the Maha-rPET Abhiyaan is to ensure that used PET is collected separately and remains suitable for food-grade recycling.

Through dedicated bins and separate collection systems, the initiative enables:

- Collection of PET bottles separately from other waste
- Maintenance of clean, uncontaminated material
- Routing of collected PET into authorised recycling pathways

Once collected from identified establishments such as eating and dining outlets, malls, offices, and hotels, the material moves through a defined, step-by-step process.

- Collection partners aggregate used PET from these locations, where it is collected in a segregated form
- The material is then transported to collection centres set up on municipal land, equipped with the required infrastructure for handling and processing
- At these centres, PET is sorted and baled to prepare it for further processing
- The baled material is handed over to authorised recyclers

From here, the material moves through the recycling value chain:

- Processed into PET resin
- Converted into preforms
- And ultimately used for recycled PET (rPET) production for beverage packaging

Our Role at HCCB

At HCCB, we are supporting the initiative through on-ground implementation and stakeholder engagement.

Our role focuses on enabling the systems that make clean PET collection possible. This includes:

- Supporting awareness efforts that promote responsible PET disposal
- Deploying and enabling at-source collection infrastructure, including dedicated PET bins
- Working with establishments such as retail outlets, hospitality spaces, and institutions to drive participation
- Supporting structured collection systems aligned with authorised recycling pathways
- Enabling the movement of segregated PET from these establishments through dedicated logistics systems, including the use of electric vehicles

Through this, we are contributing to the broader ecosystem required to enable clean PET collection at scale.

This approach is supported by a structured collaboration framework, which was formalised in February 2026 between the Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Maharashtra, and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages during Mumbai Climate Week 2026, as detailed in our announcement earlier this year.

Through this, we are contributing to the broader ecosystem required to enable clean PET collection at scale.

A Statewide Rollout

Maharashtra’s landscape spans large metropolitan centres as well as interconnected municipal regions. Implementing collection systems across such a diverse geography requires approaches that are both scalable and adaptable to different environments.

The Maha-rPET Abhiyaan is being implemented across key regions, including:

- Mumbai
- Thane
- Navi Mumbai
- Panvel
- Pune
- Nashik
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
- Beed
- Palghar

This multi-region rollout supports wider participation and enables the implementation of structured PET collection systems across a range of urban and semi-urban settings.

Supporting the Use of Recycled PET

The use of recycled PET in beverage packaging depends on the availability of clean, food-grade material.

By focusing on separate collection and improving the quality of collected PET, the Maha-rPET Abhiyaan supports the availability of suitable material for recycling into beverage packaging. This enables a pathway where used PET can be processed and reintroduced into the packaging cycle.

Moving Forward

In February 2026, the Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Maharashtra, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages during Mumbai Climate Week 2026, providing the framework for implementing a structured PET collection and awareness programme under the Abhiyaan.

The Maha-rPET Abhiyaan reflects a structured approach to PET collection and recycling. By enabling separate collection, introducing dedicated infrastructure, and engaging stakeholders across establishments, the initiative supports the development of organised PET recovery systems.

At HCCB, through our support for the Maha-rPET Abhiyaan, we are contributing to efforts that enable clean PET collection and support its reuse in beverage packaging.