Page 28 - Plastics News November 2018

FeAtures

Thiruvananthpuram‘s new resource recovery centre helps manage

waste effectively

Till now, the Thiruvananthpuram Corporation conducted drives for non-biodegradable waste including plas-
tic and e-waste on a monthly basis

ncouraged by the success of its dry waste collection, health official. Staff will be deployed in two shifts here
Ethe corporation is now gearing up to treat the city’s to prevent waste from being dumped here.
dry waste in a more effective manner by establishing
resource recovery centres (RRCs) at various points. As Waste collection calendar:
part of the initiative, the corporation will soon start Since September 2017 the city Corporation had begun
collecting non-biodegradable waste on a daily basis. The the daily collection of plastic waste through collection
public can handover dry, cleaned plastic, cloth, glass and points. Mayor V.K. Prasanth had unveiled a calendar
e-wastes at resource recovery facilities being established for removal of non-biodegradable waste in the city
at various places in the city.Till now, the Corporation through various facilities at regular intervals as part of
conducted drives for non-biodegradable waste including the Corporation’s My City, Beautiful City project. The
plastic and e-waste on a monthly basis. However, the civic facilities include aerobic bin units, material recovery
body decided to do away with the system because it was facilities, and resource recovery centres.The public can
finding it difficult to handle the massive plastic waste hand over plastic waste from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at
being accumulated at their collection points. the collection points set up near aerobic bin units and at

“As of now the corporation has one active RRC units the material recovery facilities of the local body. In the
at Medical College. The rest four are in progress at initial phase, the collection points were opened at the
Jagathy grounds; near Vijayamohini mill at Thirumala;
Killippalam bypass road; near Chithira Thirunal Park at
Fort; near Corporation rest house at Ulloor; near Chakka
Bypass Junction; behind Corporation’s old-age home
at Kalladimukham; Ambalamukku -Sree Krishnaswamy
temple road; Punnapuram; near Palayam market; near
Peroorkada market; and the Kuravankonam-Nanthancode
road. Only cleaned and dry plastic bags, packets and
other plastic materials were accepted at the counters.

Apart from this pld bags and sandals will be collected
on third Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the months
Vallakadavu, Muttathara, Vattiyoorkavu and Manacaud. of January, April, July and October. Glass waste will be
The units will be set up based on the available space. collected on second Saturday and Sunday during the
The cost to establish an RRC ranges from Rs 5 to 7 lakh months of February, May, August and November. Special
whereas an RRC unit along with a material recovery counters will be opened on first Friday, Saturday and
facility (MRF) will cost upto Rs 18 lakh,” said T Alexander, Sunday during the months of June and December for the
corporation health supervisor. collection of e-waste. Coconut shells and tree branches
The main objective is to cover a major number of wards can be handed over on fourth Friday, Saturday and Sunday
where people do not have access to collection drives. during all months.
“The dry waste collected at the resource recovery centre Autorickshaws for sanitation activities
will be taken to the agency for further procedures. Waste
like cloth, bags and shoes which can be reused will Last year the Mayor also flagged off 25 goods autorickshaws
be sent to swap shops,” said a corporation staff.“The for sanitation activities in the Corporation’s health
RRC building will also have a plastic shredding unit for circles. The vehicles collect waste from roadsides and
segregation of plastics,” said S Prakash, corporation transport it to aerobic bins for conversion into manure.

Plastics News November 2018 28