CHENNAI: As part of its efforts to curb littering and reduce environmental pollution, Tasmac will roll out its refundable Rs 10 per bottle deposit scheme to collect empty liquor bottles across Chennai from January 6.
Under the initiative, customers purchasing liquor from Tasmac retail outlets will be charged an additional Rs 10 for each bottle. After consumption, the empty bottle can be returned to the same retail outlet, upon which the Rs 10 deposit will be refunded.
Officials said the scheme is aimed at discouraging the careless disposal of empty liquor bottles in public places and improving cleanliness in the city.
The programme will initially be implemented in the three Chennai districts of Tasmac, and its impact will be reviewed before considering expansion to other parts of the State.
The initiative follows directions issued by the Madras High Court, which had asked the corporation to buy back empty bottles to protect the environment and prevent littering, particularly in tourist locations and forest areas.
The bottle return scheme was first implemented in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, and Perambalur districts last year. It was later extended to Theni, Dharmapuri, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Kanniyakumari in May 2024, and to Thanjavur, Madurai, and Sivaganga districts from September 1, 2025.
However, officials acknowledged that staff in districts where the scheme is already in place have flagged operational challenges, including inadequate storage space for empty bottles and manpower shortages during peak sales hours.
These issues, they said, would be reviewed as the scheme is rolled out in Chennai.