Islamabad, October 16, 2025 — Director General of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) visited Centaurus Mall and met senior management to advance a public-private collaboration on sustainable waste management. During the visit Pak-EPA presented green benches crafted from confiscated single-use plastic to highlight how plastic recycling can turn waste into practical, awareness-building assets.
The DG stressed the role of public-private partnership in addressing urban waste challenges and proposed installation of Reverse Vending Machines for plastic bottles at the mall to incentivize recycling by visitors. Mall management welcomed the proposal and agreed to explore sites for machines while improving segregation at source so that collected plastic can be handed over to Pak-EPA for recycling and repurposing.
Both organisations committed to capacity building and environmental training programs for senior, middle and operational staff to ensure proper waste handling and to support the plastic recycling initiative. The green benches are intended to act as a visible demonstration of circular practices and to spark wider public engagement in responsible disposal.
Pak-EPA indicated that, if successful, this collaboration will be replicated across other major shopping centres in Islamabad, with close coordination maintained between the agency and mall operators to monitor progress and ensure continuity. The partnership aims to normalise waste segregation at source and increase recycling rates through practical interventions and shared responsibility.
