PM India, Litterati launch AI-powered anti-littering drive in Delhi

Philip Morris India and Litterati have launched an anti-littering initiative in Delhi. As part of Project Unmesha, the collaboration will use AI technology to map litter hotspots and understand patterns to develop targeted behaviour change solutions.

Philip Morris India Trading Private Limited (PM India) partnered with Litterati, a global civic technology company, to launch the first phase of a 12-month anti-littering effort in Delhi. Implemented as part of PM India's CSR work under Project Unmesha, which focuses on environmental stewardship, circularity, and climate resilience, the collaboration seeks to generate a deeper understanding of littering patterns and support cleaner, more sustainable public spaces.

The first phase in Delhi will leverage Litterati's methodology, community science approach and AI-enabled image recognition technology to identify litter hotspots, map litter composition and establish scientifically rigorous baselines across selected urban environments. Insights generated through this assessment will help PM India pilot targeted, scalable solutions focused on behaviour change, responsible disposal practices and waste recovery in identified hotspots.

By combining technology, measurement and on-ground observation, the collaboration aims to support more effective responses to littering challenges and contribute to the Swachh Bharat Mission's emphasis on citizen participation, responsible waste disposal practices and cleaner public spaces. The partnership follows PM India's recent anti-littering initiatives, including the #CleanWithBittu campaign conducted on World Cleanup Day, mobilizing volunteers across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh that contributed to the removal of more than 4,000 kg of litter from public spaces, with over 1,600 kg diverted for recycling or composting and an estimated 2,200 kg of CO₂-equivalent emissions avoided. While cleanup drives help address existing waste, the new collaboration seeks to advance understanding of litter patterns and the factors that drive them, providing a stronger evidence base for sustained solutions.

A Data-Led Approach to Littering

Navaneel Kar, Managing Director, Philip Morris India, commented, "Addressing littering effectively requires more than cleanups alone. It requires an understanding of littering patterns, behaviours and local challenges. Following efforts like #CleanWithBittu, our collaboration with Litterati represents the next step in that journey by bringing data and evidence into the conversation. Through Project Unmesha, our flagship programme focused on environmental stewardship, we are committed to advancing anti-littering and circularity as key focus areas, while fostering greater awareness around responsible waste disposal. We believe evidence-led approaches, combined with community participation, can contribute meaningfully to the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission and support cleaner public spaces over the long term.”

Leveraging Technology for Transparent Evidence

Talking about the initiative, Dick Ayres, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Litterati, said, "Litter is often treated as a visible symptom, but understanding its sources, composition and movement requires data. Through this collaboration, we will apply Litterati's methodology to help establish a detailed picture of litter in select urban environments, identify priority hotspots, and measure change over time. Our goal is to generate transparent evidence that can support practical interventions, inform policy discussions, and contribute to cleaner public spaces."

Establishing a Replicable Model

Founded on the belief that data can be a powerful tool for environmental change, Litterati has engaged millions of people across more than 100 countries and helped create one of the world's largest datasets on litter and waste in the environment. Through its partnership with PM India, the organisation will support litter mapping, hotspot identification, waste-stream analysis, and measurement frameworks designed to assess the impact of interventions over time. The programme is intended to establish a replicable model that combines measurement, behaviour change, infrastructure solutions, and waste-system strengthening to better understand and reduce litter in urban environments.

Globally, Philip Morris International’s sustainability strategy seeks to address the environmental impacts associated with its products throughout their life cycle. Its approach includes preserving resources, reducing waste, addressing litter, promoting responsible end-of-life management, and applying circularity and eco-design principles.

Litterati is a civic technology company that harnesses the power of community science and AI-driven image recognition to systematically measure, map, and reduce litter at scale. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)