Page 68 - Plastics News December2018

IN THE NEWS

Committee suggest changes in Patna to get plastic waste
the SWM Rules, 2016 and PWM processing unit soon

Rules, 2016

he Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated
committee constituted by the Union Environment Tfresh bidding process to rope in a plastic waste
A Ministry in 2017 has recommended that the onus of processing unit in the city. PMC deputy municipal
collecting and disposal of plastic waste should lie solely commissioner Vishal Anand said there was no system
on municipal bodies, whose track record on this front for treatment of plastic waste in the city at present.
is abysmal. According to a report, the committee has Once it starts the rural works department can use the
suggested changes in the Solid Waste Management Rules, plastic waste in construction of roads in rural areas.
2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Under “Plastic waste is generally dumped at a solid waste
these rules, plastic manufacturers and the packaging landfill website online at Ramachak-Bairiya village on
industry were to take Patna-Gaya street. Once the plastic waste processing
the help of NGOs to unit starts functioning, the agricultural works division
collect, recycle and can use the plastic waste in development of roads in
dispose of plastic rural areas.
waste. Whereas the
committee said in its The plastic baggage will be changed into granules and
report “Handing over combined with coal tar to build roads,” Anand said.
this responsibility to Bihar State Pollution Control Board chairman Ashok
the producers would Kumar Ghosh has additionally hailed the initiative of
be very impractical the PMC. “People generally burn plastic waste, which
and inefficient. We releases poisonous fumes,comparable to furans and
would have a situation dioxins. These poisonous fumes can cause breathing
wherein there would be multiple channels for waste and different illnesses among other folks,” Ghosh said.
collection leading to large inefficiencies.”The nine- He said the BSPCB would strictly put into effect the
member committee with members from the central ban on plastic baggage in urban areas of the state from
government and municipal bodies has now said the December 15. “Anybody caught the use of or selling
responsibility of waste collection and segregation rests plastic baggage should pay penalty,” Ghosh said. The
solely with the urban local bodies. The panel has instead New Capital circle of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC)
recommended levying a suitable fee depending on the
quantum of plastic production.“This fee will get collected
into a fund which would be used only for the purpose of
plastic waste handling, collection, segregation, treatment
and processing,” the report said. Plastic waste collection
and disposal pose a huge challenge globally.
The US, which has the highest consumption of plastics at
109 kg per capita, has an efficient waste collection system
which ensures that there is a little environmental impact.
Nearly 10 per cent of the waste is recycled, another 15
per cent is burned in waste-to-energy facilities and the has started imposing fine on people for littering public
remaining goes to landfills. Europe and China recycle spaces. The drive has been started in the commercial
39.1 per cent and 22 per cent of their waste. In contrast, area as of now. The corporation had earlier decided
India’s plastic consumption is only 11 kg per capita and about collecting fines from residents for throwing
it recycles 60 per cent of the waste but collection and garbage in public spaces but the decision was not
disposal are a major issue. implemented because of opposition from residents.

Plastics News December 2018 6870 23 43 April 2015 Plastics News
March 2017 | Plastics News
•
•