Wild West Innovation pledges to make India plastic-free

Plastic waste and its treatment is a growing concern globally, to the extent that the United Nations declared the theme for the World Environment Day 2018 to be 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.

Worldwide, companies are coming up with small, medium and large scale solutions to curb and manage the plastic waste. Wild West Innovation, a Mumbai-based company, is doing its bit by offering an innovative solution to treat plastic waste and encourage people to dispose it in the correct way.

The company has introduced a first-of-its-kind range of ReBot (reverse vending machines). These are cost effective recycling machines that recover and dispose PET bottles effectively. Built, using cutting-edge technology, these sturdy machines provide clients with an unmatched user-friendly experience and consistency in smooth operations.

These machines are currently installed at major public spaces and are inculcating a habit of recycling in people.

These are cost effective recycling machines that recover and dispose PET bottles effectively. Built, using cutting- edge technology, these sturdy machines provide clients with an unmatched user-friendly experience and consistency in smooth operations. These machines are currently installed at major public spaces and are inculcating a habit of recycling in people.

"A trend of significant increase in municipal solid waste generation has been recorded in the recent years. Approximately 7.2 million tonnes of hazardous waste is generated each year in India alone," said Arvind Shah from Wild West Innovation.

By 2020, plastics consumption of the country is expected to increase from the current 12 mmt to 20 mmt per annum. Plastic takes hundreds of years to breakdown in a landfill and poses a great threat to the environment. Considering all these challenges, the demand for recycling solutions has increased considerably.

The project tends to benefit all the parties involved but most importantly it benefits the environment. It reduces landfills and increases recycling rates; produces reusable, recycled material and generates employment. The company also rewards the users on returning PET bottles, motivating repeated use.

So far, the company has successfully installed ReBot's at various public spaces such as Western Railway Stations, Mumbai Metro Stations, Kochi Metro Stations, Hyderabad Airport, Mumbai Airport, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Raj Bhavan Mumbai, MCGM Headquarters Mumbai, multiple office spaces and corporate parks, educational institutions, various Shopping Malls and departmental stores.

At western railway stations alone Wild West Innovation has recycled approximately 6 lakh bottles in 1.5 years. Once bottles are shredded, the waste is collected by associates of Wild West Innovation and recycled to manufacture polyester yarn which is then further converted into by-products such as T-shirts, Jeans, Bags, mats, carpets, pillows, bedrolls, scarfs among other things. These T-shirts are also available on our website for purchase for those who want to be fashionably responsible.

Wild West Innovation has also pledged 100 machines to the Municipal Corporation in Mumbai free of cost. In the coming months, the company plans to install 1000 of these machines across the country.