Launched by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to beat the problem of plastic pollution, the campaign received widespread support and encouragement.
HCCB joined hands with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) that in December 2019 launched ‘Meal for Plastic’ programme, a unique initiative to curb the menace of plastic waste in the city. The programme is designed in collaboration with HCCB’s partner for plastic waste management in India, UNDP under the state government's Aahar Scheme that provides a hygienic meal to urban poor at affordable rates.
Implemented initially across 11 such Aahar centres in the city, the programme encourages the poor, especially the rag pickers to get a full meal free in exchange for 500 grams of plastic wastes. The initiative essentially ensures the collection of plastic waste that are carelessly thrown by people on the roads.
Evidently, the programme helps in reducing the empty plastic bags and other types of plastic packing material littering the roads as well as drains of the city. The larger aim of the programme, however, is to educate people about recycling of plastic to overcome the problem of plastic waste and pollution on the planet and their responsibility towards managing plastic waste.
The beauty of this entire campaign is that it creates an end to end recycling ecosystem, starting at the point of collecting plastic waste and recycling them. UNDP through its implementing partner CORE helps collect the plastic waste from all the Aahar centers on a bi-monthly basis.
The plastic waste thus collected is sent to recyclers. UNDP also provides bins, banner and weighing machine to every Aahar center.
On the request of Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation, HCCB in partnership with UNDP is planning to replicate the programme in Cuttack as well.
Designed as a barter system campaign, the ‘Meal for Plastic’ is in sync with the Government of India’s Swatch Bharath Mission.
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