Kumar Bahukhandi
Households and businesses in the Darjeeling District now have a structured way to recycle their used beverage cartons, thanks to a collaborative initiative between Tieedi Permaculture Foundation and Tetra Pak. This partnership not only ensures responsible recycling but also empowers informal waste workers by providing them with formal recognition, training, and healthcare support.
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Empowering waste workers & recycling for a greener Darjeeling
Tieedi, an environmental organization committed to zero-waste solutions, has partnered with Tetra Pak, a global leader in food processing and packaging solutions, to establish a decentralized collection and recycling system for used beverage cartons. This initiative will facilitate the recovery of used cartons through an on-ground network of waste workers and community participation. All collected cartons will then be sent to the nearest recycler, Khatema Fibres, in Uttarakhand for recycling.
As part of the initiative, Tieedi is working closely with waste workers to formalize their role in the waste management ecosystem. Waste pickers will be trained in efficient collection and segregation of aseptic beverage cartons. Waste pickers will also provided other livelihood support like health cards for medical support, and getting connected to a structured recycling network for more income. Additionally, youth from Sonada Degree College will play a crucial role in collecting data on waste pickers and helping bridge the gap between academic research and real-world waste management challenges.
Aseptic beverage cartons, made primarily of 70% paperboard, are recyclable and can be processed into valuable materials like paper products like secondary packaging, e-commerce packaging, stationery, roofing sheets from poly-aluminum panels, and composite sheets used by, automobile and logistics industry, and for making furniture and more.
Utsow Pradhan, Founder at Tieedi, added, “We are very excited about this collaboration with Tetra Pak India as it fosters the beginning of a synergy between bulk producers of material goods and local grassroots organisation to overcome the challenges of waste mismanagement in our hills. It is also a landmark occasion where for the first time ever the ignored Waste Pickers (kabaadiwalas) have been given a platform where their work is recognised and they received the dignity that they deserve in our society. Even though the kabaadiwallas work in the informal sector, they are one of the most impactful climate action activists in India whose work ensures that a huge chunk of the waste that is discarded irresponsibly by consumers still land up in the recycling hubs. We thank Tetra Pak India for their support for this project.”
Juhi Gupta, Sustainability Director, Tetra Pak South Asia said, “This partnership is a great example of like-minded partners coming together to take a challenge and convert that into an opportunity to do the right thing. We are very happy to partner with Tieedi on this initiative and believe that together we are setting a wonderful precedent in this region for decentralized, community-driven waste management solutions that benefit both the environment and the people working to keep it clean.”
