Return Empty Liquor Bottles And Get Paid: Know All About Tamil Nadu's New Scheme

Soon, customers buying liquor from Tasmac outlets will have an added responsibility-returning empty bottles! Tasmac has floated tenders to collect empty bottles from shops across Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and its suburbs.

How It Works

Under this initiative, customers will pay an extra ₹10 per bottle over the MRP, which will be reimbursed when they return the empty bottle. The DMK government has come up with the scheme to curb bottle littering and ensure proper recycling. It has to be noted that the scheme is already active in eight districts and partially in nine others.

Now, Tasmac is gearing up to implement it across all five regions, following the Madras High Court's directive.

Tender Process & Implementation

A similar tender was issued last year but was put on hold for revision. The new tenders now allow only experienced contractors to participate. "The revised tenders allow only experienced contractors to participate. We drafted it to ensure all empty liquor bottles return to bottling units," The Times of India quoted a Tasmac official as saying.

While tenders have been floated for all regions, the one for Coimbatore has been temporarily withheld due to the Erode East byelection. Once the scheme is fully implemented across Tamil Nadu, bottle returns will be integrated into the QR code system-meaning retail shops can scan bottles to process refunds digitally.

Tech-Backed Bottle Tracking

Notably, some shops in North and Central Chennai have already moved to a QR-based system, where every bottle sold is digitally accounted for.

When Will The Scheme Be Implemented?

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court that the state-wide rollout of the scheme will come into effect from April 2025.

The DMK government said that the scheme has been well received in the districts where it has already come into effect, with an impressive 97% bottle recovery rate. The government now aims to replicate this success across the state.