Kochi(Kerala): Plastic wastes churned out by the city residents would now earn money besides ensuring sturdy roads in the city.
The Clean Kerala Company (CKC), the cleanliness campaigner of the State government, has offered to buy plastic granules from local bodies, which could be used for re-laying the roads. The State government had recently issued orders appointing the CKC as its nodal agency for collecting granulated plastic.
The agency will collect granulated plastic from local bodies and other agencies and will supply it to the contractors, said Kabeer B. Harun, Managing Director of the CKC.
With the government decision, the company has become the buyer as well as the seller of the granulated plastic in the State. It held talks with the civic administrators of Kochi for the purchase of granulated plastic. The corporation has established a couple of units in the city for the collection and granulation of the clean plastic, he said.
For laying roads
Incidentally, the State government had directed all the local bodies in the State to use plastic for at least 10 per cent of the roads laid in its respective areas.
The use of plastic is expected to increase the endurance of the roads besides providing a working solution for managing plastic refuses.
The decision is of significance to local bodies which do not have a scientific management system for plastic refuses. It is estimated that around 500 tonne of plastic has accumulated at Brahmapuram dumping yard. Each day, around 50 tonne plastic waste is transported to Brahmapuram.
Recently, the city had witnessed a series of public protests over the reported refusal of the local body to collect plastic waste. The corporation had come under fire a few years ago when the plastic wastes piled up at Brahmapuram caught fire.
The CKC, which will buy the granulated plastic at Rs.15 a kg, will sell it to the contractors for Rs.20 a kg. Instructions were issued to the granulating units to step up their production after the government decision. Many units had cut down their production for want of buyers, the MD said.