KarunaNews Story

In a bid to preserve the environment and increase awareness about safe disposal of plastic waste, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, India, came up with the concept of garbage cafes in 2020. Under this initiative, individuals who drop off one kilogram of plastic waste at designated garbage cafes receive a voucher for a complimentary meal at participating restaurants. Eligible plastic waste includes empty water bottles, soft drink bottles, plastic containers and similar materials. The aim is to encourage the gathering of waste while also managing the use of disposable plastic products. Eateries hand over the plastic they collect to a municipal organization, which then recycles and repurposes it; the waste collected could be used in road construction or repurposed in gardens. Similar initiatives exist in Europe, the US, and Cambodia.