In a bid to enlighten and empower school children on plastic waste recycling, the Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE) and the NGO Shrunkhala, dedicated to sustainable development, are collaboratively launching the 'Plastic Recycling Warriors competition' at the school level. This competition invites all schools in Navi Mumbai and Panvel to participate, aiming to foster awareness and action towards responsible plastic waste management.

Established on 27th January 1999 by a Task Force appointed by The Ministry of Environment & Forests, the ICPE focuses on addressing environmental, social, and technical aspects related to plastic waste. Shrunkhala, an organization promoting sustainable development, advocates a citizen behavior change program called "Zero Waste," emphasizing recycling as a fundamental lifestyle change.

The competition serves as an educational platform to enlighten students on the recycling of various plastic products. Notably, schools participating in this contest will be recognized as "Plastic Recycling Warriors," earning a spot as a permanent collection centre for plastic recycling on India's map.

To join, interested educational institutions must register for the competition and schedule a recycling awareness program for their students in collaboration with the organizers. Schools will mobilize students to actively collect plastic waste, making the 'collection drive and competition victory' the central theme.

Asmita Sharma, founder of Shrunkhala, emphasized, "A strong commitment to recycling will pave the way for zero waste programs, sustainability, and innovations, benefiting our future. We urge schools to express their interest in participating in the Plastic Recycling Warriors Competition and register promptly."

Sharma highlighted the importance of perceiving plastic waste not as trash but as recyclable material, suggesting that this competition will significantly raise awareness among children.

During the competition, the collected plastic waste will be managed and recycled by Shrunkhala. Schools demonstrating commitment and successful completion of the Plastics Waste Collection Drive will have the opportunity to become permanent Plastics Waste Collection Centres under the ICPE initiative. Their participation will be ongoing through periodic collection efforts in partnership with designated collection associates. The schools' designation as "Plastics recycling warrior" will be acknowledged on the ICPE website, accompanied by an official certificate.

To register, schools can fill out the Google form and assign a teacher as the contact person to lead the campaign. The deadline for registration is 15th November 2023.