Set up plastic recycling plant, manufacturers’ body tells corporation

The All India Plastic Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA) has proposed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that the corporation set up a plastic recycling plant.

The All India Plastic Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA) has proposed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that the corporation set up a plastic recycling plant.

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After the civic body announced that it would stringently implement the plastic ban on bags thinner than 50 microns and also bring in a blanket ban on plastic bags in phases, the association held a meeting to discuss alternatives.

“We have said that if plastic bags are segregated, there will be no problem, and that

plastic can’t be recycled is untrue. We will recycle it for the BMC,” said Mahendra Parmar, president of the association said at a press conference on Friday.

The members pointed out that the BMC should segregate plastic from the waste.

Eight thousand metric tonnes of garbage generated in the city daily has 4 per cent of plastic.

“We met the mayor and asked her for land to set up the recycling plant and we will recycle plastic at a cost of Rs 10 per kg,” said Parmar.

They said that a lot of thin plastic is coming from across state borders and that the BMC should stop this at octroi points.

Additional Municipal Commissioner R.A. Rajeev said it was difficult to examine thin plastic at octroi points if it comes in with miscellaneous things.

“There are many units in the city which manufacture plastic thinner than 50 microns but we can’t raid these units as the law doesn’t give us that authority,” said Rajeev.