The MoU was signed between the civic body, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages at BMC Conference Hall this afternoon.

Under this unique collaborative venture a 6,000 sq. ft area Swachhata Kendra will be established near the temporary transit station (TTS) for the transport of solid waste, near Sainik School, Bhubaneswar.

The initial partnership will be initiated in 10 wards of BMC i.e. 12, 13, 16, 25, 27, 30, 34, 40, 41 and 53. The collaboration in the project aims to streamline plastic recycling in the city.

Swachhta Kendras or  “integrated material recovery centres” will be opened for recycling all types of plastic i.e. PET, HPDE, LDPE, PVC, PP, PS and other types.

The Swachhta Kendra will ensure collection of nearly 5 MTs/ day of all types of plastics collection, segregation from different sources and to create a capacity of 10 ton per day minimum processing of all types of plastic waste.

The Swachhta Kendra project near TTS targets at the end of a 4-year period in the project better management, including collection, segregation and recycling of at least 6,800 Matric tons in the city of Bhubaneswar. This will alsoi Improve socio-economic conditions, better lives and livelihoods of at least 700 waste pickers or Swachh Sathis in compliance with Government of India; Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.

In this project the scope of involvement of UNDP would cover into two phases as in Phase 1 (4 years) there would be direct involvement during operational and funding support and in Phase 2 (6 years) it would be in a supporting and advisory role to ensure the project scales and expands into entire Bhubaneswar and beyond.