KALABURAGI: When civic bodies are grappling with the plastic waste menace, Wadi municipality in Kalaburagi district has come up with an innovative solution.
The municipality is using plastic waste, like carry bags, bottles and packing material, to make colourful paver blocks and tiles, which are now becoming popular in the Kalaburagi region.
Earlier, garbage, including used plastics, collected from houses and commercial establishments was sent to the solid waste management site without segregation. With no scientific way to dispose of waste and complaints of pollution increasing, officials and elected representatives of the municipality began exploring ways to deal with the problem.
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Soon, they hit upon the idea of producing paver blocks and tiles using plastic waste. In partnership with Revive Waste Management, a non-governmental organisation of Kalaburagi, the municipality launched a joint venture a year ago, Wadi Municipality Chief Executive Officer Fakruddin said.
The municipality collects around 14.5 tonnes of solid waste, including 350kg of plastic material, from shops and houses in 23 wards of Wadi daily. After segregation, plastic waste is fed into a high-tech dust extractor, which removes dust and other particles from plastic waste.
The cleaned plastic is further processed and sent to a paver blocks and tiles factory in Hyderabad by the NGO. After getting the paver blocks and tiles done there, it hands them over to the Wadi municipality, Fakruddin said.
The paver blocks and tiles can be used for building driveways, walkways, patios and even roads because of their durability, ease of installation and aesthetic appeal.
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Lauding the unique initiative, Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum said, “The district administration will help the municipality in establishing a factory at the solid waste management site in Wadi soon. I have asked officials to submit a proposal.”
This initiative will go a long way in tackling the menace of plastic waste in Wadi. Such waste from other parts of Kalaburagi district could be sent to Wadi once the factory starts production there, she said.
The NGO provides 125 paver blocks or tiles for every tonne of processed plastic sent to it. The municipality has collected 200 paver blocks and 200 paver tiles from the NGO. These paver blocks and tiles have been used for building a footpath in front of the civic labourers’ rest house in Wadi. “We are waiting for the guidance of the higher-ups on using the paver blocks and tiles being delivered by the NGO,” Taranum said.
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Revive Waste Management head Navinchandra said his agency is ready to set up a factory in Wadi if a plot is provided to it free of cost.
“We are ready to set up the factory in Wadi which is estimated to cost Rs 75 lakh. It can be set up within three months. Our products are eco-friendly and unbreakable unlike traditional cement paver blocks and tiles. Made of mixed plastic (80%) and sand dust or glass powder (20%), they have a long lifespan (more than 50 years) and can bear loads of up to 60 tonnes,” he said.
NOTE – This article was originally published in newindianexpress and can be viewed here