New plastic waste processing unit planned at Brahmapuram

KOCHI: The city corporation which has failed to take effective measures to manage the mounting plastic waste at its Brahmapuram yard has proposed to set up a new processing unit. The unit with a capacity of processing 4 tonnes of plastic waste will be ready by January. The plastic shredding unit earlier set up by a private agency has stopped functioning with no demand for shredded plastic. Though the local body has banned the use of plastic carrybags with the thickness of less than 50 microns, there has not been any significant decrease in the quantity of plastic waste being transported to Brahmapuram.

“The proposal will be finalised after it is discussed and approved in the council. The project will be on public-private-participation mode with no financial involvement by the civic body. We will provide the land needed for setting up the facility and the private firm will buy plastic waste at Rs 3 per kg,” said V.K. Minimol, health committee chairperson. The private agency has agreed to use the maximum quantity of plastic from the piled-up waste at the yard, she added. The waste will be shredded, processed and converted to raw material for making various products. Earlier, the civic body used to sell plastic waste at a rate of Rs 1.50 per kg.