Anandana’s MaidaanSaaf initiative uses recycled plastic to create public infrastructure and strengthen waste collection during Pandharpur Ashadhi Wari 2026.
Anandana – The Coca-Cola India Foundation has supported the deployment of public infrastructure made from recycled plastic during the Pandharpur Ashadhi Wari 2026, demonstrating how recovered plastic waste can be converted into useful infrastructure at large public gatherings.
The initiative was implemented under #MaidaanSaaf, Coca-Cola India’s campaign focused on responsible plastic waste collection, segregation and recycling at high-footfall cultural and sporting events. The Pandharpur Wari brought together large numbers of Warkaris, volunteers and authorities, creating a significant need for temporary public amenities and organised waste management.
As part of the initiative, 20 women-friendly changing rooms made with recycled-plastic infrastructure were installed along the riverbed for Warkaris. The installations also featured awareness messages encouraging visitors to handle and dispose of waste responsibly.
The programme also included two police watch towers, nearly 2,000 waste bags for plastic collection, 1,000 raincoats for volunteers and police personnel, and additional dustbins at important locations along the pilgrimage route. These measures combined public convenience with improved waste-collection infrastructure.
From a polymer and plastics industry perspective, the initiative is significant because it demonstrates a practical application for post-consumer recycled plastic. Instead of treating recovered plastic only as a waste-management issue, the material is converted into functional products for public spaces, creating an additional end-use market for recycled polymers.
The project involved Econscious, Ecodeco – The Recycle Home, Lakshya and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) alongside Anandana. Such partnerships connect waste collection, recycling, material conversion and real-world deployment, illustrating a more integrated circular plastics value chain.
The Pandharpur initiative builds on earlier #MaidaanSaaf programmes at major Indian gatherings. At Magh Mela 2026, for example, Anandana supported public infrastructure made from recycled plastic, including changing rooms, while also deploying recycled-plastic dustbin liners.
The development highlights the growing potential of recycled plastics in infrastructure and public-use applications. By creating visible, functional products from recovered plastic, such initiatives can demonstrate the economic value of recycling while encouraging better collection and segregation practices.
Overall, the Pandharpur Wari project shows how recycled polymer materials can move from waste streams into practical infrastructure, supporting both waste recovery and circular-economy objectives.