Environmental drive at Mysuru Dasara; PET bottles collected for recycling

Mysuru: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), in partnership with Anandana: The Coca-Cola India Foundation and Mysuru City Corporation, successfully implemented a major waste management initiative during the recently concluded Mysuru Dasara.

The drive, aimed at reducing plastic waste, specifically targeted the collection of empty PET bottles throughout the 10-day festival, which ran from October 3-12. The Y4D Foundation played a key role as the implementing partner in the campaign, titled the “Used PET Bottle Free Dasara Celebration.”

The Mysuru Dasara festival, one of Karnataka’s most prominent cultural events, attracts thousands of tourists and devotees from across India. Recognising the environmental impact of such large gatherings, HCCB stepped in to address the issue of waste generated from plastic bottles. With more than 30 volunteers actively participating, the initiative saw widespread efforts to ensure the responsible disposal and recycling of PET bottles. Strategically placed collection bins and recycling stations were set up at popular festival locations such as Chamundi Hills and Aahara Mela, as well as other key sites across the city. Collected bottles were transported to designated warehouses, where they were segregated and sent to recycling partners for further processing.

Commenting on the initiative, Himanshu Priyadarshi, Chief Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability Officer at HCCB, said, “Mysuru Dasara is not just a festival but a celebration of our shared heritage, blending devotion with environmental consciousness. Through this PET bottle collection drive, we are taking steps towards building a circular economy and reaffirming our commitment to a ‘World Without Waste.’”

Rajesh Ayapilla, Senior Director of Sustainability and CSR at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the broader impact of the initiative. “At Coca-Cola, our World Without Waste strategy reflects our goal to foster a circular economy. From the design of our packaging to its disposal and recycling, we are committed to taking proactive steps to safeguard both the environment and local communities. Collaborating with partners during events like Dasara enables us to provide crucial infrastructure for waste management and educate participants on the importance of responsible waste disposal.”