People can exchange rubbish for free food at 'garbage cafe'

In this file image, empty water bottles are left piled high on beach path in Varkala, Kerala State, India. Photo / Getty

How does a city tackle its hunger and plastic waste problem at the same time?

India's first "garbage cafe" has been launched in Ambikapur, a city with a population of just under two hundred thousand people, located in Chattisgarh's Surguja district.

Under this, the Municipal Corporation will provide food to the poor and homeless in lieu of plastic waste. Mayor Ajay Tirkey said that the café will run from the city's main bus bay.

Those who present 1 kg of plastic waste will receive a full meal, while half as much gets you breakfast.

Besides offering food, there is also a definitive plan to also provide shelter to over 100 homeless people in the city.

The plastic collected by the municipal corporation will be used to construct roads.

Using shredded plastic remains the most common technique in building greener roads in India.

In fact, Indian authorities are mandated to utilise hazardous plastic refuse for road construction. Besides recycling the waste, the combination of plastic and asphalt makes the road more durable because it is less porous.

Utilising plastic granules and asphalt, the city already has a road constructed with excessive plastic waste in the Godpur area.