Benches made from recycled cartons mark a year at Mini Secretariat

Installed in September 2024, the benches were placed in waiting areas to promote reuse and sustainability among visitors.

The benches made from recycled Tetra Pak cartons installed at the deputy commissioner’s (DC) office in Gurugram have remained in good working order for over a year, officials said.

Officials said the colourful seating remains sturdy and has helped showcase practical recycling in government spaces. (HT Photo)

The four benches, installed on September 9, 2024, were donated by Tetra Pak Private Limited — a food processing and packaging company — and placed in waiting areas across different floors of the Mini Secretariat. The benches aim to highlight the reuse of waste materials and promote recycling.

Bijendra Kumar, district information and public relations officer at the DC office, said the benches were installed in waiting areas to ensure visibility to visitors. “They have been in place for nearly a year and are both sturdy and colourful. Such initiatives need to be encouraged in today’s times,” Kumar said.

Shreya Verma, a visitor to the office, said she had seen similar benches in other government buildings as well. “It is a unique way to promote awareness about how waste materials can be put to practical use. I hope the authorities replicate such initiatives in other public spaces too,” she said.

A senior official from Tetra Pak told the DC office that the benches serve as an example of encouraging the public to adopt recycling practices. “We hope this initiative helps raise awareness and contributes meaningfully towards environmental sustainability,” the official said.