HDB Financial Services (HDBFS), in collaboration with Centre for Environment Education (CEE), has released a new film highlighting the progress of its ‘Trash Shield’ initiative, which focuses on preventing plastic waste from entering rivers, seas, and oceans.

According to the movie, a number of activities have been carried out in various cities by installing effective trash barriers that help prevent plastics and other forms of garbage from getting into waterways.

The program has been undertaken in cities such as Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Chennai. In this program, the trash barriers have been placed on the canals and drains in order to catch floating garbage. This floating garbage is periodically cleaned, sorted and sent to Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) for recycling or disposal with the help of the concerned authorities.

The initiative has helped to collect tonnes of waste after its implementation and it has led to the improvement of biodiversity in some areas. The project also intends to alleviate drainage problems and improve the flow of water in flooded cities.

Ashish Ghatnekar, Chief – People & Operations from HDB Financial Services said, “Trash Shield for us goes beyond environmental protection, it is about building systems that enable communities to participate in preserving shared resources. Through this initiative, HDB Financial Services is contributing to cleaner waterways while encouraging responsible waste practices at the community level. Collaborating with CEE allows us to combine infrastructure solutions with awareness and behaviour change, creating lasting impact for urban ecosystems.”

The film also highlights how the initiative combines environmental infrastructure with public awareness efforts and reflects the increasing role of partnerships in addressing urban waste management and water pollution challenges.