Two firms seek nod from Mumbai civic body to set up centres to collect plastic

Following the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), they approached BMC seeking seven designated spots.

Towing the government line, plastic bottle manufacturers have finally approached the civic body for recycling of the collected banned plastic in the city. While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected over 120 tonnes of banned plastic since April, it has no mechanism available to recycle this waste.

earlier this year, the state government had announced a ban on select plastic items. (Representational photo)

Following the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), two firms have approached the civic body, seeking seven designated spots across the city where the companies will collect and segregate plastic waste to be recycled later.

“We have received proposals from a couple of companies asking for segregation centres across the city. These companies will then later transport and also recycle the plastic,” said Kiran Dighavkar, nodal officer, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

After revoking its ban on PET bottles on April 11, the state government made it mandatory for manufacturers and traders to set up collection centres, reverse vending machines, and crushing machines with established linkages to recycling units at strategic places such as malls, multiplexes, hotels, shops, tourist places, beaches, forts, and public places. It has also asked them to develop a buyback depository mechanism, with a predefined buyback price printed on the bottles.

BMC is yet to finalise an agency to recycle the collected plastic.

Currently, BMC has 36 segregation centres in the city. Scrap dealers sell it to various plastic recycles, many who have plants in Gujarat and Pune.