From Coke Bottles to Car Bumpers: The Story of Car Plastic Recycling

In August 2025, I went to Domino’s to enjoy a pizza and Coke. While eating 🍕🥤, I noticed something written on the Coke bottle — “Recycle Me”.

I got curious and started searching about it on Google. What I found was really interesting: the Indian government has a special rule about recycling called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

What is EPR? – The "You Make It, You Manage It" Rule ♻️

EPR is a policy where the company that makes plastic is also responsible for collecting and recycling it.

👉 In simple words: The company that produces plastic also has to make sure it is recycled or reused.

So, What Happens to Your Old Car's Plastic? 🚙

Then I thought — if this rule applies to Coke bottles, what about cars and bikes? 🤔

I found that in India, the automobile industry also follows similar rules under the Vehicle Scrappage Policy.

• When an old car or bike reaches its end, it needs to be scrapped (disposed responsibly).
• Companies offer scrappage discounts/incentives to customers who return their old vehicles.

The Big 3: Indian Auto Giants with Their Own Scrapping Brands 🏭

1. 1️⃣ Tata Motors → Re.Wi.Re (Recycle with Respect)
   A modern scrapping facility focused on recycling with eco-friendly methods.
2. 2️⃣ Maruti Suzuki → MSTI (Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India Pvt. Ltd.)
   Joint venture with Toyota Tsusho, deals with safe vehicle recycling.
3. 3️⃣ Mahindra → CERO (Mahindra MSTC Recycling Pvt. Ltd.)
   India’s first organized vehicle recycler, set up back in 2018.

📌 Other Automobile Brands

Other big brands like Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, MG, Renault, Nissan, Skoda, Mercedes, BYD, etc. don’t have their own special scrapping company yet.

👉 But, they still participate under the Government of India’s Vehicle Scrappage Policy and often run discount schemes for customers.

Example: Kia runs scrappage-linked incentive programs for new car buyers.

🌱 Conclusion: A Step Towards a Greener India

My pizza day curiosity taught me that India is taking big steps towards a cleaner future. The next time you see an old, dusty car on the road, you'll know that there's a system being built to recycle it responsibly, one plastic part at a time.

It’s not just about pizza boxes and coke bottles anymore. It’s about our cars too!

Have an old car? Maybe it's time to give it a new life through recycling and get a discount on your next ride! 🚗💨