Thiruvananthapuram/Kannur, August 1 – In a move aimed at reducing plastic waste, the state government of Kerala announced plans to introduce a deposit-return scheme for beverage bottles. The initiative will be launched on a pilot basis in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur in September this year.
Under the scheme, customers will be required to pay an additional amount of Rs 20 as deposit when purchasing beverages in QR code-enabled bottles. These bottles can then be returned at the outlets from where they were originally purchased.
The decision follows similar initiatives implemented by the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, which has reported success with this model. Excise Minister M B Rajesh stated that the success of the scheme in another state was taken into consideration before its implementation in Kerala.
The state government’s move aligns with the broader Clean Kerala mission and is part of ongoing efforts to tackle plastic pollution. The initiative is expected to encourage recycling and reduce the amount of waste generated by disposable plastic bottles.
It remains to be seen how effective this scheme will be in reducing plastic waste in Kerala, especially considering the success or failure of similar initiatives in other states. Stakeholders and the public will be closely watching the pilot phases in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur before a possible state-wide rollout.
For now, the state government is urging citizens to support this initiative as part of their collective responsibility towards preserving the environment. The scheme, if successful, could serve as a model for other states in India looking to address plastic waste management issues.
