On 22 May 2025, two new community Drop-Off Centres (DOCs) were inaugurated in Kelki and Hejo, Thimphu, as part of the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) Project. The initiative was led in Bhutan by the Bhutan Ecological Society (BES), in collaboration with Thimphu Thromde and Gross International Nature (GIN).

The Kelki DOC represents a milestone in collaborative environmental action. While the facility provides a space for waste segregation at source, its real strength lies in the partnership behind it. BES mobilised funding and brought together key stakeholders; Thimphu Thromde prepared the site and provided technical support; and GIN contributed youth-led recycling solutions to ensure sustainable operations.

Waste collected at the DOC is transported to a central recycling hub in Bjemina, where it is turned into high-value products like UR Bricks and PET pellets, closing the loop from disposal to reuse. Each centre also offers a steady income opportunity for local waste workers and includes a caretaker’s quarter, reinforcing social inclusion in Bhutan’s waste sector.