Bevco to collect and recycle used plastic liquor bottles

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move towards sustainable waste management, the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) is considering a new initiative to collect used plastic liquor bottles directly through its retail outlets for recycling. The plan involves setting up collection systems at these outlets and will be implemented in collaboration with Clean Kerala Company.

Preliminary discussions have already taken place. A pilot project was previously carried out in 2021 across Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode districts, but the initiative was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the major challenges faced by the project is the cost of transporting the collected bottles to recycling facilities. Clean Kerala Company has proposed that Bevco share a portion of these transportation expenses. The main recycling plants for plastic liquor bottles are located in Coimbatore and Andhra Pradesh, and the logistics costs for sending the materials to these facilities are significant.

Earlier, the idea of setting up an in-house recycling plant at unused spaces in Travancore Sugars (Thiruvalla) and Malabar Distilleries (Chittur, Palakkad)—both under Bevco ownership—was considered. However, a feasibility study found the venture not financially viable.

Will give money to consumers who return empty bottles
Bevco had also previously explored the idea of offering a small monetary incentive to consumers who return empty plastic bottles. While this was deemed financially burdensome at the time, the Corporation is now re-evaluating the possibility.

Currently, Bevco operates 284 retail outlets, selling Rs 4.5 to Rs 5 crore worth of liquor in plastic bottles every month. A significant volume of used plastic is generated from these sales.

“A plan is being drafted to collect the empty bottles and transport them to recycling centres. We will hold further discussions with Clean Kerala Company on implementing this,”
— Harshita Attalloori,
CMD, Bevco