Page 60 - Plastics News June 2018

in the news

Pune retailers to reuse garbage for Bengaluru state Government

plastic buckets plans tax hike on plastic products

he Pune District Retailers Organisation (PRDO) has ith an aim to discourage people from using plastic
Ttaken steps to collect and segregate the daily wet Wproducts, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy
and dry garbage so they can reuse the plastic waste on Tuesday said the government was contemplating
to produce buckets. This step is being taken following increasing tax on them by 4% to 5%. Addressing a
the state government’s move to ban plastic carry bags gathering after observing World Environment Day at
Chowdiah Memorial Hall , he said that discouraging
and other plastic items. The PRDO recently decided people from using plastic will help promote cottage
to join hands with the Clean Garbage Management industry, which uses biodegradable materials.
organization which will supply the buckets to retailers in
exchange for the plastic garbage. Another organization
named Samagra Nadi Pariwar will help PRDO create
awareness among retailers about garbage management
and its segregation. Nivangune of PRDO said, “We have
started the initiative at Sinhagad Road where about
250 retailers are handing over the dry and wet garbage
to a garbage tempo. The wet garbage is going to PMC’s
waste processing unit while the plastic in the dry garbage
is going for processing. Every retailer who gives 10kg
of dry waste is given a plastic bucket in exchange.
A retailer can give this bucket to customers as a token
of appreciation”, Nivangune said. The PRDO has said
that the initiative has already received a good response
in the first few days. The initiative will be taken up by “There is increased use of plastic bags when people go
every branch in the city in a phased manner after it has to buy clothes, grocery or fruits. If taxes are increased
been successfully implemented. on plastic products, it will discourage people from using
them. Promoting cottage industry is also the need of the
hour, which will help improve the financial condition of
farmers and stop youth in rural places from migrating
to cities in search of jobs,” said the Chief Minister. The
coalition government will move in positive directions
to promote environmental causes, he said.He said
initiatives such as planting a crore saplings are ideas
expanded on paper, with little happening on ground.
“To build the metro, trees were axed in the city, but
have we done enough to restore the loss,” he asked.

Kumaraswamy went on to say that increasing levels
Meanwhile, the retailers said the PMC’s existing of pollution had led to an increase in the number
mechanism of garbage collection is not effective of diseases, as well as higher temperatures. “If this
and there is room for improvement. “The garbage continues, then future generations will be deprived of
collectors are not regular. Also, they do not collect the pure air and water. Sapling plantation drives conducted
entire garbage. Now, we have set up our own system by the BBMP and forest department remain largely data
which is working in a much more effective manner”, or numbers in their files. Each household should plant a
retailers said. sapling and ensure that it grows into a tree,” he said.

Plastics News June 2018 60