Suchitwa ropes in 6 more firms for waste disposal

Kochi: The piling up of non-bio degradable and e-waste in flood-hit areas has forced the Suchitwa Mission to take a host of temporary measures including roping in of six more companies for waste management.

While its main service provider 'Clean Kerala' company will lead the waste management activities, the Mission has given nod for local self bodies to avail services of six more companies in disposal of such wastes.

"We're working out various modalities to meet the huge waste management challenge in the aftermath of deluge. Our current service provider alone can't meet the challenge, hence panchayats or other local bodies can appoint the six identified firms on payment basis," said Dr Ajay Kumar Varma, Executive Director of Kerala Suchitwa Mission.

The Mission has already held talks with Green Worms Eco Solutions (Kozhikode), Criss Global Traders (Tiruvalla), Olina Mahila Samajam (Kozhikode), Nirav Zero Waste Management (Kozhikode), Plastic Recycling Industrial Association (Perumbavur, Ernakulam) and the Scrap Merchants Association.

The materials like bed foams, furniture clothes and coverings, television sets, mobile phones, laptops, computers and refrigerators are being dumped in large quantities by households.

"It's very tough to dispose of items such as bed foams. Hence we're in talks with cement plants and land fill site owners to take up such non-biodegradable materials. For e-wastes, the Clean Kerala company has tied up with a Bangalore-based recycling company," the official said.

Such wastes are being collected the maximum from Ernakulam district where thousands of houses got inundated in flash floods. People have no way but to dispose of the household items which got soaked in water.

"We've identified and set up various collection points where the e-wastes can be brought. From the collection centres, the e-waste will then be handed over to the Clean Kerala company for recycling," Varma said.