Thiruvananthapuram: The Suchitwa Mission along with the Kerala Plastic Manufacturers’ Association will set up a plastic recycling unit in Malappuram. Mission executive director K. Vasuki told DC that the site has been identified. The agreement between KPMA and Suchitwa Mission will be signed soon. The unit will process polypropylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene and linear low-density polyethylene. There will be a few finished end products like flower vases. But most of the recycled plastic will be sold to other plastic manufactures.
The exact site has not been disclosed. Earlier there were talks about such a unit being set up on KINFRA Park in Thiruvananthapuram. However, the idea seems to have fizzled off. KPMA itself was not keen on it, anticipating opposition from others. Recycling units will come up in central Kerala and south Kerala. The one in south Kerala needn’t be in Thiruvananthapuram, says Mr P.J. Mathew, former KPMA president.
“The unit will be able to recycle 2500 metric tonnes of plastic, big enough to cater to three or four districts. So it can be in Kollam or Pathanamthitta as well. Two acres of land would be needed as there should be space to store and segregate plastic. The unit itself would not need more than 25 cents. There will be a water treatment plant and it will follow all the guidelines laid down by Kerala State Pollution Control Board,” he said. The members of KPMA will form a new company which will handle the recycling unit. The company will buy government-owned land, set up the unit and run it, he said.
