A new ecological initiative has been launched in Lahore aimed at fighting plastic pollution by encouraging citizens to recycle used plastic bottles, he emerged on Monday.
As part of the program, residents can deposit empty plastic bottles in reversed automatic distributors (RVM) and gain up to Rs1,000 in “green credit” per kilogram of plastic – approximately 20 and a half bottles.
The project, led by ISP Environmental Solutions with the support of the Intratech group and the World Bank, is part of the Green Credit Program of the Environmental Protection Agency of Punjab. The project aims to transform how urban waste is managed and perceived by offering financial incentives in exchange for used plastic.
Lahore produces around 500 tonnes of plastic waste daily, a large part of which pollutes the sailing and discharges, according to the president of the intratech group Gulfam Abid.
“These new inverted automatic distributors will collect single-use plastic items, including bottles, cups and plates,” he said. “The material collected will be reused in raw materials for trails, road repairs and bricks that respect the environment.”
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Each RVM is able to store up to 25 kg of plastic and is equipped with sensitive weight sensors that reject non -plastic materials. Users simply insert the bottles in a designated slit, press the “A” button, enter their mobile number and press the “B” button to display their contact details on the screen. The same information is also accessible via a dedicated mobile application.
The application not only follows credit, but also directly connects users with waste. Citizens can sell their plastic via the platform and company representatives will collect items from their location. More than 18,000 local scrap metal dealers have been integrated into the system, and they can also gain green credit in addition to their regular profits.
In the initial phase, the machines are installed in four private universities in Lahore. Later, the project will extend to public and private spaces.
Although the machines are made locally in Pakistan, they incorporate advanced Chinese technology. Each unit costs around 800,000 rupees to produce.
An “eco brick factory” was also established in the industrial succession of Sundar as part of the program. It will make construction quality bricks using the collected plastic. The factory inauguration is scheduled for July.
Managers point out that the project goes beyond the installation of machines – its broader objective is to instill a feeling of environmental management among the public. “We want people to consider plastic not as waste, but as a precious resource that can be reused for environmental and economic purposes,” said an official.
