Page 48 - Plastics News January 2021

in the news

Mr. Arvind Goenka is new KDMC successfully turns plastic

Chairman of the PLEXCONCIL waste to fuel

he P l as tics E xpo r t unicipal body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region
TPromotion Council of M(MMR) has successfully developed a plant to
India (PLEXCONCIL), the turn non-bio-degradable plastic to fuel. The Kalyan
apex trade body for plastics Dombivali Municipal (KDMC) in Thane district of
exports sponsored by the Maharashtra tested the pilot project up to turn non-
Union Ministry of Commerce & biodegradable non-recyclable plastic waste into fuel
Industry, Government of India, and generated 85 litres of fuel.The project was set up
announced the appointment using the CSR fund of KDMC with a firm named Rudra
of Mr Arvind Goenka (M/s. Environment Solutions and has a capacity to turn
RMG Polyvinyl India Ltd.) as non-bio-degradable plastic which has no value in the
Chairman and Mr. Hemant market to fuel. The plant was set up at the Barave
Minocha (M/s. Rajiv Plastics Pvt Ltd.) as Vice Chairman village in Kalyan and has a capacity of turning 1 ton of
amongst other office bearers of its newly constituted non-biodegradable plastic into 500 litres of fuel. "The
Committee of Administration (COA) after its recently held rapidly growing cities of Kalyan-Dombivali see a huge
AGM. Mr. Arvind Goenka, Chairman, PLEXCONCIL, said, quantity of non-biodegradable plastic waste generated
"Plastics are perhaps one of the most versatile products and every day. This plastic to fuel project could get help rid
are being increasingly used in a wide range of applications. of the plastic waste in the city and also generate a fuel
We request Government to frame an attractive PLI that could be used in generators and boilers" said KDMC
scheme for boosting polymer production and becoming Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi. He added,
AtmaNirbhar. A PLI scheme is very important to enable "This was a pilot project and we have approached all the
manufacturers invest in plant & machinery and increase
their capacity. Backed by strong government support-
planned investment of over USD 50 million, as many as
10 plastic parks with state-of-the-art infrastructure are
being set up to boost domestic production, employment
and achieve environmentally sustainable growth. Talking
about the key priorities, Mr. Goenka added, "PLEXCONCIL
is of the view that the RoDTEP (The Remission of Duties
and Taxes on Exported Products) rates for plastics products
should be fixed in line with MEIS rates. Indian processors
are not at level playing field when comparing our cost of
production to those enjoyed by our competitors in the
ASEAN region. Logistics form a very integral part of export
cost to plastics' processors and this must be reduced in concerned government agencies for further permissions
line with global average to boost our competitiveness. Mr. to expand it". The fuel generated from the plant is also
Goenka is of the view that India is losing on exports of being tested if it could be used as fuel for automobiles
Value added plastic goods for export to USA, UK, WANA as well. The success of the plant could pave way for
regions due to no Free Trade Agreements and also not various other bigger municipal corporations across the
benefitting under the ASEAN & SAARC FTA's as they were country that see huge quantities of non-biodegradable
not negotiated favouring plastic finished goods exports. It plastic being turned into fuel which could also generate
would be his endeavor to bring this to the knowledge of the income for the municipal bodies. The Kalyan Dombivli
policy makers and request that existing FTA agreements Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Thane district has
be negotiated favoring plastic exports from India and new further applied to the Maharashtra Pollution Control
agreements be forged with importing blocs to increase Board (MPCB), seeking its nod to implement a project
presence of India's plastics goods in the world market. of producing fuel from plastic waste.

Plastics News Januar y 2021 48