Lahore launches bottle-for-cash recycling drive to tackle plastic waste

A new eco-friendly recycling program has been rolled out in Lahore, offering citizens financial incentives to recycle used plastic bottles as part of efforts to curb the city’s growing plastic pollution problem. As reported by The Express Tribune.

Launched by ISP Environmental Solutions with support from the Intratech Group and the World Bank, the initiative is part of the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Credit Program, which seeks to revolutionize urban waste management by treating plastic not as garbage, but as a valuable resource.

Through the system, residents can deposit single-use plastic items such as bottles, cups, and plates into Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) and earn up to Rs1,000 per kilogram of plastic — the equivalent of roughly 20 standard 1.5-liter bottles — in the form of Green Credit.

Intratech Group Chairperson Gulfam Abid said Lahore generates around 500 tons of plastic waste daily, a significant portion of which ends up in landfills or clogs the city’s waterways. “The RVMs will collect recyclable plastic that can then be processed into eco-friendly raw materials for roads, footpaths, and bricks,” he explained.

Each RVM, fitted with advanced Chinese technology and manufactured locally at a cost of around Rs800,000 per unit, can hold up to 25 kilograms of plastic. The machines are equipped with sensors that reject non-plastic items and are user-friendly: citizens insert their plastic into a slot, press button A, input their mobile number, and then press button B to display their earned credit, which is also available through a dedicated mobile app.

The app enables users to track their Green Credit balance, view transaction history, and connect directly with waste dealers. A key feature of the program is doorstep collection — citizens can schedule pickups via the app, and company representatives will collect the plastic directly. Over 18,000 scrap dealers have already been onboarded, allowing them to earn Green Credit in addition to their standard brackly newss.

In its pilot phase, the machines are being installed at four private universities in Lahore, with plans to expand to additional public and private locations across the city in later stages.

As part of the broader initiative, an Eco Bricks Plant has been set up at Sundar Industrial Estate, where the collected plastic will be processed into construction-grade bricks. The plant’s formal inauguration is scheduled for July.

Officials emphasize that the project is not just about technology, but about changing public perception. “We want people to see plastic not as waste, but as a reusable asset that holds both environmental and economic value,” one official stated.