PRNewswire 
Thane (Maharashtra) [India], October 5: The Government of Maharashtra, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) have expanded the Maha r-PET Abhiyaan in Thane with the inauguration of the Thane PET Collection Centre and the launch of a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the collection, segregation and recycling of used PET bottles across the city.
The programme included the launch of dedicated used PET Collection Bins, the introduction of the Maha r-PET Abhiyaan Participation Certificate and Green Cool Dukaan Sticker for retailers, the flagging off of three electric vehicles to support collection operations, and the unveiling of benches made from recycled PET plastic collected through the initiative.
The programme was graced by Smt. Pankaja Munde, Hon'ble Minister for Animal Husbandry, Environment & Climate Change, Government of Maharashtra; Sanjay Kelkar - MLA; Mr. Niranjan Davkhare - MLC; Ms. Madhavi Naik – MLC; Shri. Rahul Rekhawar - IAS and member secretary MPCB; Shri. Harishchandra Patil - Additional Collector, Thane Municipal Corporation; Mr. Himanshu Priyadarshi - Chief Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Officer– Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages; and Actors – Prasad Oak, Shivani Surve, Amit Sial and Rapper – Dino James along with community partners, retailers and hotel owners associations and stakeholders from across the PET collection and recycling ecosystem.
The newly inaugurated Thane PET Collection Centre will serve as a dedicated aggregation and collection facility for used PET bottles recovered through the initiative. Supported by a network of collection partners and retailers, the centre is designed to strengthen the recovery and channelisation of used PET bottles into authorised recycling streams.
Dedicated collection bins introduced under the programme will encourage residents to segregate used PET bottles at source, while the Green Cool Dukaan initiative and participation certificates will recognise retailers who actively contribute to the collection effort. The electric vehicles flagged off during the programme will support efficient last-mile collection across Thane.
The programme also showcased benches manufactured using recycled PET plastic collected through the initiative. These installations demonstrate how used PET bottles can be transformed into valuable products through recycling, bringing to life the principles of a circular economy.
Underscoring the importance of community participation, Smt. Pankaja Munde, Hon'ble Minister for Animal Husbandry, Environment & Climate Change, Government of Maharashtra, noted, "I am extremely delighted that the environment-friendly project, Maha r-PET Abhiyaan, is being launched in Thane district in collaboration with Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages. The days of 'use and throw' are behind us; the time has come for 'use and collect'.  We are beginning this exceptional concept today right here in Thane. Following this, the initiative will be implemented in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, and since I am from Beed myself, it will be carried out there as well.
As Environment Minister, protecting our environment is my responsibility, but it is equally a collective responsibility. I congratulate HCCB for taking this initiative and look forward to seeing it create greater awareness and participation across Maharashtra."
Avinash Kant Kumar, Head of Integrated Supply Chain, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) said, "Building a robust used PET bottle recycling ecosystem requires strong collaboration across the entire value chain, from collection and segregation to processing and end-use. The Thane Collection Centre is an important step towards creating a more organised and traceable supply chain for recyclable materials, enabling segregation at source and the identification of food-grade PET for high-value recycling applications. This model demonstrates how industries can work alongside public systems to improve resource efficiency, support the availability of quality recycled material, and build resilient, sustainable supply chains for the future. Through our partnership with the Government of Maharashtra under the Maha r-PET Abhiyaan, and in collaboration with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), we are helping strengthen the systems and infrastructure needed to improve the recovery of used PET bottles."
Launched by the Government of Maharashtra, Maha r-PET Abhiyaan is a first-of-its-kind statewide movement focused on improving the collection, recovery and recycling of used PET bottles through awareness, source segregation, community participation and collection infrastructure. The initiative seeks to ensure that used PET bottles are collected separately and remain suitable for recycling, helping reduce landfill burden while supporting circular economy objectives. The initiative brings together dedicated collection infrastructure, retailer participation, consumer awareness and collection support systems to improve the recovery of used PET bottles and channel them into the recycling value chain.

About Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB):
Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), one of India's leading FMCG companies, was incorporated on 14th February 1997. Since then, HCCB has come a long way in being able to serve over 20 lakh retailers, ~2,000 distributors, and 5,200+ employees. 2,50,000 farmers grow the agricultural produce that HCCB uses in making its products. The company is headquartered in Bengaluru and its operations are spread in 10 states, and 236 districts in South and West India. With 14 factories across India, the company has a significant footprint in Maharashtra, operating two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants at Pirangut, in Pune district, Wada, in Palghar district, and an upcoming manufacturing plant at Lote Parshuram in Ratnagiri district. HCCB manufactures and sells 37 different products across 8 categories. Its products include some of India's most loved beverages - Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, Minute Maid, Maaza, SmartWater, Kinley, Limca, Fanta, and a lot more.
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