AsiaNet 85950

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

The plastics take-back program enables consumers in India to recycle plastics

conveniently and receive attractive incentives

Dow (NYSE: DOW) announced today the launch of its first digital waste

management platform in Asia Pacific. Introduced in India, Rethink+ is a unique

plastics take-back program that aims to prevent post-consumer plastic waste

from going to landfills by digitally connecting waste generators, waste

aggregators, waste processors and recyclers. This new initiative is in

collaboration with Recykal, a technology company providing cloud-based

solutions for the waste management and recycling industry, and a waste

management non-governmental organization (NGO) partner Keshav Sita Memorial

Foundation Trust.

Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200526/2813064-1LOGO

Through a mobile app, participants in the Rethink+ program list their

recyclables and either schedule a collection or drop off their items at

designated collection centers, earning reward points for online vouchers for

each completed transaction. The plastic waste collected through the take-back

program, Rethink+, is streamlined to different recycling processes such as

upcycling and pyrolysis. This is in line with Dow's new sustainability targets(

https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/news/press-releases/dow-sets-targets-to-reduce-ghg-emissions--stop-plastic-waste--an.html)

to "Stop the Waste" by enabling one million metric tons of plastic to be

collected, reused or recycled through its direct actions and partnerships.

Earlier this year, Dow piloted Rethink+ in Pune, a city in the state of

Maharashtra, India. The pilot program proved to be a resounding success, with

810 metric tons of plastic waste collected in five months. Rethink+ will

continue to facilitate the collection of plastic waste in Pune, while expanding

the program to multiple cities across India.

"The results of the pilot program have been outstanding, but we are just

getting started. We are thrilled to be able to extend Rethink+ to more cities

in India and encourage the public to recycle more through increased awareness,

education and dedicated infrastructure," said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific

commercial vice president of Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. "With

Recykal's technology and expertise in local waste management, and the support

of Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust, we are committed to bringing more

consumers and partners onboard to advance a circular economy for plastics in

India and Asia Pacific."

A circular recycling program from collection to solution

Infrastructure for the collection, segregation and recycling of post-consumer

plastic waste received through this program were built to ensure that the

collected materials are channeled to authorized recyclers, road contractors and

waste-to-fuel (pyrolysis) facilities. The waste will then be used as a

resource; for example, to implement plastics in roads.

Together with partners in the ecosystem such as recyclers, pyrolysis operators

and road contractors, Rethink+ demonstrates how brand owners can meet the

Indian government's extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirement

transparently by providing complete traceability of plastic waste.

"We are excited to be working with Dow, a leader in plastics technology, to

provide a platform for individuals, brand owners, manufacturers, waste

collectors and recyclers to collectively manage plastic waste by utilizing

their strengths in the recycling journey," said Abhay Deshpande, Founder,

Recykal. "We all have the same goal, which is to save the environment. With

Rethink+, we hope to connect the waste value chain through innovative

technology and data solutions, and change the way India recycles its plastic

waste."

Conserving the environment through awareness and education

Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust (Keshav Sita Foundation), an NGO based in

Pune, has been dedicated to creating awareness about the harmful effects of

plastic waste. Highlighting the importance of waste segregation, Keshav Sita

Foundation educates individuals by setting up collection points at residences,

schools and retailers as part of the Rethink+ program. Waste collection has

continued during the COVID-19, with strict hygiene practices and precaution.

"The Keshav Sita Foundation is no stranger to plastic waste collection, having

gone from door to door collecting waste as part of our efforts to educate the

community about segregating their waste and explain why this method of 'divide

and conquer' is sustainable for our environment," said Dr. Medha Tadpatrikar,

Founder Trustee, Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust. "We're extremely

delighted to be working alongside Dow and Recykal to further demonstrate the

significance of recycling by engaging with the residents of Pune from all walks

of life."

UZED[1] app: Enabling consumers to dispose of recyclable plastics waste

Through UZED -- a consumer app created by Recykal -- consumers can dispose of

recyclable plastic waste responsibly in these simple steps:

1.Download the app on the App Store(

https://apps.apple.com/in/app/uzed-recycling-platform/id1133493346) or Google

Play(

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rapidue.uzed&referrer=utm_source%3Dhomepage%26utm_medium%3Dbutton)

2.Register under 'Rethink+ Plastic Takeback Program'

3.List the recyclables on the app / Collect and segregate plastic waste at home

4.Schedule for a doorstep pickup / Drop off materials at the nearest collection

center

Thereafter, points will be credited to the user's account and these points can

be redeemed for attractive incentives such as gift cards.

[1]The UZED app is only available in India currently and can be downloaded via

either Google Play or Apple Store for users in India. The app is not available

for anyone residing outside of India.

About Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics

Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP), a business unit of Dow (NYSE: DOW),

combines core strengths of R&D, worldwide reach, broad product lines and

industry expertise to deliver high performing technologies for end use markets

in food packaging, personal hygiene, infrastructure, consumer goods and

transportation. P&SP is one of the world's largest producers of polyethylene

resins, functional polymers, and adhesives, and enabled by Pack Studios, is a

leading innovator and collaborator across the value chain on sustainable

application development and circular economy life-cycle design for plastics.

www.dowpackaging.com

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused

innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The

Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric,

inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow's portfolio of

plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers

a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its

customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and

consumer care. Dow operates 109 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs

approximately 36,500 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion

in 2019. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries.

For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow

@DowNewsroom(https://twitter.com/DowNewsroom) on Twitter.

About Recykal

Recykal is a digital technology company providing cloud based solutions for the

Waste Management and Recycling Industry. Our solutions connects Waste

Generators like Businesses, Consumers, Waste Aggregators, Recyclers and enables

transactions between them with transparency and traceability. They are also

helping FMCG, Electronic brands run their consumer awareness, takeback programs

and comply with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules.

About Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust

Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust is a non-governmental organization based

in Pune, India.

Trust has been involved in creating awareness of waste plastic and segregation

of waste at source for last six years. To create a habit change in waste

generators the trust has started collection of waste from door step. Trust has

been able to connect and collect from more than 150,000 people from various

communities.

SOURCE  Dow