CLEANING AYODHYA: 5MT material recycling facility to build by CEE, HDFC Bank

In a significant step towards strengthening plastic waste management and advancing circular economy practices, the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has partnered with the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation to establish a 5 metric tonne (MT) Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Ayodhya. CEE also has support from HDFC Bank under its Parivartan programme for the MRF facility.

CEE held that the novel initiative aligns with the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission and the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The project aims to promote plastic waste circularity by keeping plastics in use for as long as possible through improved segregation, recovery, and recycling systems. It forms part of Phase II of the “Sustainable Circularity in Plastics: Rural and Urban Landscapes” programme, under which HDFC Bank is supporting similar interventions across four cities in collaboration with CEE.

Over the past three months, CEE representatives conducted extensive on-ground assessments and stakeholder consultations, including 15 formal meetings with government officials and local stakeholders. These engagements helped refine the facility’s technical design, operational strategy, and incorporate a gender-inclusive framework.

The agreement for the MRF was formally signed on January 22, 2026, in the presence of Municipal Commissioner Jayendra Kumar, IAS, and Assistant Commissioner Guru Prasad Pandey, in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Once operational, the facility is expected to enhance source segregation, improve resource recovery, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support better performance under Swachh Survekshan. It will also help integrate recycled plastics back into the value chain, contributing to sustainable urban waste management and safeguarding biodiversity and natural resources.