Page 70 - Plastics News December2018

IN THE NEWS

Pune retailers demand review of Kolhapur Waste-to-energy plant
plastic ban likely to start on January 1

etail Vyapari Sangh -a traders’ organisation- has he firm assigned to set up the waste-to-energy project
Rdemanded that the state government should relook Tat Kasba Bawada has assured the civic administration
into. The group has written a letter to the state government that it would begin processing of 200 tonne of waste
and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to review the ban per day from January1, 2019. Civic chief Abhijeet
as it is affecting the overall plastic industry. “The decision Chaudhari had called a meeting of all stakeholders to
about the plastic ban has failed. The government could not find a way out for the stalled project.Civic officials have
gauge how to implement the ban. The government should clarified that the waste already piled up at the dumping
have studied the issue properly and then introduced the site will not be processed in the plant, but a capping of
ban. It is causing more harm than good to the industry,” the waste will be done as most of the piled-up waste is
inert and cannot be processed in the plant.The Kolhapur
Green Energy Private Limited, the special purpose
vehicle (SPV) formed to set up the plant by two investors
had not paid Rs 1.25 crore to the contractor which is
using its technology to convert the waste into energy.
the sub-contractor is assured of the amount to be paid
to him. Chaudhari has set the deadline of December 31
to commission the plant. Also, the PMC will initiate the
process to appoint a new firm to complete the pending
works and carry out operation and maintenance tasks.
Sources said, apart from financial matters, issues related
said a statement issued by the organisation. The group has to operation were also discussed. The authorities of
demanded that the authorities should curtail the import the firm claimed that they will ensure that the plant,
of plastic from other states to once commissioned, will be financially viable. Earlier
KGEPL was formed to establish Processing plant with a
It has also urged the government to reconsider the action capacity of 180 TPD for conversion of MSW into useful
against plastic bags, which are above 50 microns.The city product (Power) & Bottom Ash as the byproduct. A
generates nearly 1,600 metric tonnes of garbage every
day. Nearly 250 tonne is wet garbage and 850 tonne is
dry, while 500 tonne is mixed garbage. Civic officials
said of the total garbage generated every day, around
15% is plastic. The state government on March 23 had
issued the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products
(Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and
Storage) notification. It led to a ban on manufacture, use,
storage, distribution, sale, import and transportation of all
kinds of plastic items. However after a state-wide plastic
ban in Maharashtra was imposed in June this year, the
banned goods have allegedly resurfaced in Pune's markets. Concession Agreement in this regard was signed between
Despite being penalised vegetable vendors at the Pimpri KGEPL and KMC on 7 th February 2014. The concession
market, retail shops, and even the road-side vendors have period is 30 years from the date of commencement of
begun using polythene bags which are allegedly lesser than the plant. As per the agreement, the MSW processing
50 microns. Meanwhile, a regular visitor at the Pimpri facility should be designed to have a minimum processing
vegetable market told IE, these banned items are back in capacity of 180 tonnes of MSW per day. The tipping fee
circulation in the markets and also the shopkeepers are will remain constant at Rs 308 / Tonne throughout the
openly using it. concession period.

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