Use of plastic waste for roads back

SOLAN: In a bid to manage plastic waste in the state, its use in the construction of roads is being revived. Since the issue also figures in the state government’s vision document, a meeting convened by officials of the Urban Development Department decided to ensure its effective implementation.

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 22

In a bid to manage plastic waste in the state, its use in the construction of roads is being revived. Since the issue also figures in the state government’s vision document, a meeting convened by officials of the Urban Development Department decided to ensure its effective implementation.

It was learnt that 175.018-km road was constructed using 99.25 metric tonnes of plastic waste from 2009 to 2012. Out of the four zones, a 53.450-km road using plastic was constructed in Shimla followed by 49.065-km road in Kullu, 45.582-km road in Hamirpur and 26.921-km road in Hamirpur. With the state banning the use of plastic in 2012, the practice was discontinued.

According to an estimate, about 2 tonnes of plastic waste, comprising wrappers of various articles and packaging material in industrial areas, is generated on a daily basis. Out of this, about 10 per cent waste is recycled, while 20 per cent is collected by rag pickers and 15 per cent is used by cement companies and waste-to-energy plants. The major concern of the Department of Environment is the scientific management of 55 per cent remaining waste.

“Practices adopted by various institutions will be forwarded to national-level agencies,” said Director, Environment, DC Rana.

He said all Deputy Commissioners had also been directed to check littering in their respective areas. Efforts are also on to ensure the use of plastic in waste-to-energy plants being set up in various towns.

Since the plastic waste is voluminous to carry, several users of such waste like cement plants have been dithering from its use, given the high transportation cost. The problem has, however, been addressed with the PWD making plastic shredders available at 14 locations across the state, which compresses the waste. All urban local bodies have been designated to collect and deposit plastic waste at the nearest shredder site notified by the Department of Urban Development.

These sites include Mandi, Kullu, Dharamsala, Jogindernagar, Nurpur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una, Solan, Nahan, Nirmand, Theog and Rohru.