Page 29 - Plastics News January 2020

FeAtures

finalized the roles and responsibilities of engineers for prevent industrial waste dumping. Police to keep vigil
visual cleanliness of major roads, preparation of one-time on defacement and garbage littering. Advocate General
estimate for clearing waste and regular maintenance of Uday Holla on Wednesday gave an assurance before the
roads. The BBMP wants to implement the same in the CBD court that the nodal officer of the police department
(100 wards) of the city on a case-to-case basis. “Once will keep a vigil on people found littering and defacing
the proposed system is implemented, we will deploy an properties. This submission was made before the division
additional number of pourakarmikas and auto tippers in bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice
the CBD between 2 pm and 10 pm,” a BBMP official said. S Sujatha, who were hearing a batch of public interest
D Randeep, Additional Commissioner, Administration and litigations (PIL) in relation to unauthorised hoardings.
SWM, told TNIE said, “The instruction has come from “Nodal officer of the police department should tackle
Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar. This will help us keep issues of defacement of city and garbage littering, in
these areas clean all the time. As CBD areas are always coordination with the beat police as well as the in-charge
busy with activity, waste is generated all the time. Thus, of CCTV section,” the court added. Meanwhile, Advocate
there is a need to take up sweeping twice a day,” he General Uday Holla also informed the court that the
said. Managing industrial waste BBMP will soon work out advertisement by-laws will be finalised within 10 days
plans and ways to introduce SWM in industrial areas, to to ensure no unauthorised hoardings are left in the city.

Potential e-plastics export disruption quite likely

ith the Chinese government to enact new The requirements were discussed at the China Replas
Wrequirements for pellet imports Potential e-plastics conference last year, Wong said, and there are multiple
export disruption on the horizon according to reports. theories of why the changes are being implemented. Some
Officials in Beijing are set to enact new requirements observers are speculating that the move is part of a push
around the purity of recycled plastic pellets imported to increase utilization of pellets produced domestically
into China, which could disrupt international markets from China-generated scrap plastic. Although the change
for U.S. e-plastics. Since China banned imports of post- comes on-line in April, it may begin as a recommendation
consumer scrap plastic, including e-plastics, numerous and take effect as a mandatory policy at the end of the
Chinese companies have moved their recycling facilities year, Wong said. The policy shift will come on top of other
to countries in Southeast Asia. There, they import bales, struggles recycling companies are facing in Asia, Wong
process the plastic into pellets and ship the pellets to noted. Even without the change, companies are struggling
China, circumventing import restrictions because pellets to survive, given low margins due to depressed plastic
are considered a separate commodity. This trend began prices. Wong described “severe overcapacity” in Southeast
shortly after China’s new policies took hold, and Southeast Asia caused by recycling firms unable to secure enough
Asia remains a key market for e-plastics exported from the imported feedstock to keep their operations running at
U.S.But in April, the Chinese government will enact new full bore. He estimated there are 25,000 plastics recycling
requirements for pellet imports, mandating that shipments facilities throughout Southeast Asia, and a majority of
have high purity. This was explained by the China Scrap them need to process at least 300 or so tons per month
Plastics Association (CSPA) in a recent market update. to stay afloat.
The change will require that within a container all pellets Evolving import restrictions are adding to the supply
must have consistent melt flow, impact strength and challenges.“Most recyclers in the area have managed
other properties. Only 3% to 5% quality difference will to keep their factories running, though at loss-making
be allowed, said Steve Wong, executive director of CSPA.
“The recyclers are really worried about this because condition,” he said. “However, it seems they may not
sometimes you cannot meet these requirements,” Wong be able to continue to survive with the calamitous
said. That can be the case even with high-quality recycled challenges.”Additionally, overcapacity in the prime plastic
pellets, he added. “This will not be easy to comply with,” production market is trickling down to depress recycled
said Wong, who also runs Fukutomi Recycling. plastic prices, according to CSPA’s market report.

29 Januar y 2020 Plastics News