Bisleri International, the leading brand in the drinking water packaging industry, has partnered with Dr. M.G.R. Fisheries College and Research Institute in Tamil Nadu to promote responsible plastic waste management and strengthen circular economy practices by engaging students in recycling and community awareness initiatives. The collaboration, formalised through a Letter of Association, will be implemented under Bisleri's flagship sustainability programme, Bottles for Change, which focuses on encouraging the collection, segregation and recycling of used plastic through educational institutions and community participation.
Under the initiative, students enrolled in the National Service Scheme (NSS) at Dr. M.G.R. Fisheries College and Research Institute will collaborate with Bisleri International's Bottles for Change sustainability team to lead awareness campaigns, organise plastic waste collection drives and encourage responsible segregation, disposal and recycling of used plastic. The programme aims to foster sustainable waste management practices not only across the college campus but also within neighbouring communities, empowering students to become active ambassadors of the circular economy.
Youth-led sustainability initiativesThe partnership places students at the centre of environmental action, recognising the role young people can play in driving behavioural change around plastic consumption and waste management. The initiative comes at a time when India is intensifying efforts to improve plastic waste collection and recycling through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which require producers, brand owners and importers to ensure environmentally sound management of plastic packaging.
K. Ganesh, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Bisleri International, said the programme aims to transform students into ambassadors of sustainable living. “Young champions can play an important role in driving lasting behavioural change around plastic waste management. Through Bottles for Change, we aim to equip students with the awareness and opportunities to participate in responsible plastic collection and recycling,” Ganesh said. He added that the collaboration would help extend sustainability efforts beyond educational institutions and encourage wider community participation in responsible plastic management.
Building awareness beyond the campusDr. M.G.R. Fisheries College and Research Institute, located in Ponneri, will integrate the programme with its NSS activities to encourage practical environmental stewardship among students. Dr. S. Balasundari, Dean of the institute, said the partnership would strengthen awareness of recycling and environmental conservation while creating opportunities for students to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development.
“Through the collaboration with Bisleri, we aim to strengthen awareness around plastic recycling, responsible waste management and environmental conservation among our students, staff and the wider community. The active involvement of our NSS students is a great opportunity to translate environmental awareness into meaningful action,” she said.
Beyond awareness campaigns, the initiative will actively engage students in hands-on sustainability activities focused on improving the segregation, collection and responsible recycling of plastic waste. By connecting recyclable materials with formal recycling systems, the programme seeks to strengthen circular economy practices while creating a ripple effect that encourages nearby households and local communities to adopt more effective and environmentally responsible waste management habits.
Advancing the circular economyThe collaboration forms part of Bisleri's broader Greener Promise sustainability vision, under which the company has expanded initiatives related to recycling, water conservation and environmental responsibility. Its Bottles for Change programme seeks to build an effective circular economy for plastics by connecting consumers, educational institutions, housing societies and other stakeholders with organised waste collection and recycling networks.
Rather than treating used plastic as waste, the initiative promotes its recovery as a valuable resource that can be reprocessed into new products, reducing dependence on virgin plastic and lowering the environmental footprint of packaging. By involving educational institutions, the programme also aims to cultivate long-term behavioural change, ensuring that awareness is translated into everyday practices such as source segregation, responsible disposal and increased participation in recycling systems.
Sustainability at the core of the businessBisleri International has increasingly positioned sustainability as a key pillar of its business strategy alongside its packaged beverage portfolio. With a legacy spanning more than five decades, the company has grown into one of India's largest premium beverage businesses and remains best known for its packaged drinking water brand. The company says its bottled water undergoes a stringent 10-stage purification process and 90 quality tests before reaching consumers.
Bisleri currently operates 130 manufacturing plants and maintains an extensive distribution network comprising more than 6,000 distributors and 7,500 distribution trucks across India and the UAE. In addition to packaged drinking water, its beverage portfolio includes Vedica Himalayan Spring Water, Bisleri Soda, Bisleri Limonata and Bisleri Pop, while its direct-to-consumer platform, Bisleri@Doorstep, enables home delivery of products through an e-commerce model.
Under its Sustainability 2.0 framework, Bisleri International is embedding environmental responsibility across its business operations through initiatives that strengthen recycling infrastructure, promote efficient water conservation and support community-led sustainability programmes. The framework reflects the company's broader Greener Promise vision of advancing a circular economy while encouraging long-term environmental stewardship through collaborative partnerships and grassroots engagement.
Education as a catalyst for changeIndustry experts increasingly view educational institutions as critical partners in achieving higher plastic recycling rates, as campuses provide an effective platform for influencing consumption habits and community engagement. Through the new partnership, Bisleri and Dr. M.G.R. Fisheries College aim to demonstrate how student-led initiatives can contribute to cleaner campuses, stronger recycling ecosystems and greater public awareness about responsible plastic management.
As India steps up efforts to strengthen its circular economy, partnerships between industry and academic institutions are expected to play an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable waste management practices. Such collaborations can help bridge the gap between awareness and action by providing students with practical exposure to waste segregation, collection and recycling, while extending these practices beyond institutional campuses into surrounding communities. By bringing together industry expertise and academic participation, these initiatives can contribute to building more effective and responsible systems for plastic waste management.
DILIP KUMAR JHA
Editor
dilip.jha@polymerupdate.com
