The facility has been developed under the Himalayan Harmony Project and is designed to address long-standing challenges
Coca-Cola India Foundation, in collaboration with Healing Himalayas Foundation and supported by the District Administration of Rudraprayag district and the Urban Development Department of Uttarakhand, has operationalised a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Kedarnath to strengthen waste management in the high-altitude pilgrimage town.
The facility has been developed under the Himalayan Harmony Project and is designed to address long-standing challenges related to waste accumulation, limited segregation and logistical constraints in the Himalayan terrain.
According to the project design team, the intervention was based on stakeholder consultations, baseline assessments and digital mapping of more than 400 waste collection points across the region to create a structured waste collection and processing system. The facility spans 3,000 square feet and has a processing capacity of three tonnes per day, with storage capacity of up to 50 tonnes. It functions as a central hub for collection, segregation and processing of waste generated along the Kedarnath pilgrimage route, as per the issued statement.
A representative of the District Administration, Rudraprayag, said the facility is expected to improve waste management systems in the upper Himalayan region and generate livelihood opportunities. “It brings structure, dignity and opportunity to waste management in the upper Himalayan belt. It also creates livelihood opportunities for waste workers and transporters through training in waste handling, logistics and digital monitoring,” the official said.
Vinod Goswami, Director, Urban Development Department, Uttarakhand, said the facility demonstrates the role of structured collaboration in addressing environmental challenges in fragile ecosystems. “Kedarnath’s MRF is a model for structured waste management. It demonstrates how technology and public-private collaboration can converge to reduce open dumping and support responsible tourism,” he said.
Devyani Rajya Laxmi Rana, Vice President – Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said the initiative integrates infrastructure with community participation. “The initiative enables responsible collection, segregation and processing of plastic waste to create a cleaner and more resilient ecosystem,” she said, adding that it aligns with the “Mera Kedar, Swachh Kedar” initiative under Swachh Bharat.
Pradeep Sangwan, Founder of Healing Himalayas Foundation, said the project reflects years of work to establish structured waste systems in high-altitude regions. “This shows that such infrastructure can function even in extreme terrain when supported by strong partnerships and local participation,” he said.
The facility is equipped with staff accommodation, utilities, hydraulic baling equipment, weighing systems and a digital dashboard for real-time tracking of waste movement. Compressed waste will be transported to lower-altitude processing centres, improving reverse logistics efficiency in the region.
With tourist inflows rising under the Char Dham Yatra, the facility is intended to serve as a scalable model for waste management in other high-footfall Himalayan destinations.
