Recycle Mela is a participatory waste collection and awareness event that enables individuals and institutions to responsibly dispose of dry waste while experiencing the principles of the circular economy in action. It is a space where citizens are encouraged to bring four common yet often mishandled waste streams:
- E-waste
- Plastic waste
- Paper waste
- Expired medicines
The initiative promotes segregation and connects communities to authorized and traceable recycling systems, ensuring that waste does not end up in landfills, informal dumps, or water bodies.
What sets Recycle Mela apart is that it doesn&apost just ask people to drop their waste—it rewards them for doing so.
Through an exchange model, participants receive recycled products in return for the waste they bring. These may include:
- Recycled Copier Paper
- Notebooks made from recycled paper
- Recycled Cloth bags
- Recycled Newspaper Pencil
Environmental Benefits of Recycled Paper:
For every ream of 500 sheets of recycled paper used:
- 68 litres of water are saved
- 4.6 kg of wood is conserved
- 77% less energy is consumed during manufacturing
- 37% lower carbon emissions are generated
- 18 harmful bleaching chemicals are avoided
This reward system not only motivates participation but also shows people the value of what they usually throw away.
The relevance of Recycle Mela has been further reinforced through its recent adoption in large-scale public campaigns. During the “Plastic-Free Public Spaces” event held at Delhi Technological University (DTU), the Recycle Mela Action Kit was officially launched as a collaborative initiative by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).