Page 28 - Plastics News December2018
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But their value to waste pickers depends on how heavy more than 1,000°C to prevent the release of pollutants PLASTICS
these items are. Collecting a thick polypropylene basket such as dioxins and furans. For this, pollution-control
is worth the effort, because it fetches more money, but boards must monitor cement kilns, and this monitoring
collecting a thin polypropylene carry bag is not. Even is often not stringent. Yet another problem with RDF is
recyclable plastics, like polypropylene, become useless the economics. To create the fuel, plants must segregate EXHIBITIONS
when they are soiled, because washing them raises the waste. This adds to the cost of the fuel, making it
cost of recycling substantially. This is why segregation is unattractive compared to coke. These barriers have kept
critical to prevent soiling, and recovering such plastics isn’t RDF-use from taking off. Bengaluru, for example, has had CALENDAR FOR 2019-2020
a technological problem, but a civic one. “As a polymer numerous standoffs between its cement manufacturers
technologist, I have no answer to it,” says Syed Amanulla, and the city municipal corporation, because the former
a plastics researcher at Bhubaneshwar’s CIPET Institute of often refuse to accept RDF for fuel.
Plastic Technology. But there are technological challenges The way forward
too. One of the most troublesome waste categories,
technologically speaking, is multilayered plastic, used In 2017, Indians generated about 72 million tonnes of
for wrapping everything from potato wafers to shampoos municipal solid waste per day, ICRIER estimates. Out of
today. Another is thermoset plastics. In contrast with this, about 6.5 million tonnes was plastic. The solution to
this giant environmental problem is within reach. “Even
a layperson knows what needs to be done. Waste has
to be segregated at source. Yet, few States have done
anything,” says Dr. Amanulla.For segregation, greater
civic awareness is a must. But municipalities must also
set up the infrastructure and notify their solid-waste
management policy under the 2016 rules. So far, only a
few cities have done this. Another feature missing from
the Indian landscape is the idea of “extended producer 5 th 7 th
responsibility” (EPR). EPR has not taken off in most cities, Launch Edition Edition
Edition
says Ms. Chandran.
NIGERIA MYANMAR KENYA
Collection
thermoplastic, which can be melted into other items, City Population (door-to- Segregation Mar 19-21, 2019 June 14-16, 2019 July 11-13, 2019
thermosets burn upon heating. Together, these plastics (Mn) door) % at source % Lagos Yangon Nairobi
cannot be recycled and pose major environmental threats. Bhopal 2.1 100 -
So, what do cities do with them? Those with poor waste Thirunelveli 0.5 100 100
management put them in landfills. Cities that segregate Alappuzha 0.2 100 76
do one better: they use them as fuel in cement kilns. For Suryapet 0.1 100 -
example, out of the 4,800 tonnes of solid waste Bangalore Panaji 0.07 100 90
generates a day, about 68 tonnes of multilayer and non- Ahmedabad 7.5 95 -
6
4
th
th
recyclables are turned into bricks of Refuse-Derived-Fuel Chandigarh 1.2 95 - Edition Edition 3 rd
(RDF). These are then shipped off to cement kilns. Mysuru 1 95 55 Edition
Plastic as fuel Indore 2.5 90 53 SRI LANKA VIETNAM SOUTH AFRICA
Warangal 0.9 90 -
But environmentalists say that burning plastic for fuel Gangtok 0.1 90 30 Aug 9-11, 2019 Feb 20-22, 2020 Mar 3-5, 2020
should be the last option. When plastic is burnt, industries Mumbai 20 80 - Colombo Ho Chi Minh City Johannesburg
must extract fossil fuels again to make new plastics. “By Chennai 10 80 -
burning it, you are destroying it, which means you mine Hyderabad 9.1 73 -
for new material,” says Ms. Chandran. This increases the Bengaluru 10.4 71 50
carbon footprint of the product. Surat 5.8 60 12
Secondly, burning plastics without emissions is tough. In Pune 5.8 50 52 INDIA INTERNATIONAL Organised by
cement kilns, for example, RDF must be incinerated at Delhi 19.1 39 - Narendar Bafna : +91 99529 66752 Sasikumar. B : +91 90030 25103
Ludhiana 1.7 25 -
Vijay. N : +91 97890 95249 sasikumar.b@smartexpos.in
plastics@smartexpos.in
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