BBMP may soon provide land for a plastic waste recycling company which will produce granules which will be used for asphalting roads. The company will also produce items like plastic buckets, mugs, etc. The civic body feels using plastic granules for asphalting will not only improve the quality of roads but also ensure they last longer.

The proposal is to lease out land to the company for 10-15 years and it’ll be tasked with collecting plastic waste at the ward level. This will not only reduce the quantity of plastic waste going to landfills but also save money used for transporting them. Plastic waste is non-biodegradable and hence poses a grave threat to the environment. The details and timeline of the project are likely to be finalized later this week.

The Palike spends around Rs 800 crore annually for solid waste management. Of the 5,000 tonnes of waste generated every day, 3,000 tonnes is dry waste including 15-20 tonnes of plastic.

Since 2005, BBMP has asphalted around 2,000km of road using plastic in different parts of the city, including stretches of MG Road, Trinity Circle and Old Airport Road. BBMP has taken up a project of asphalting roads at a cost of Rs 400 crore.

A BBMP source said shortage of plastic granules has resulted in not mixing sufficient amount of plastic in asphalting units.

BBMP commissioner M Lakshminarayana said a discussion with engineers will be held soon to implement this project. “In future, plastic granules will be used to the maximum for asphalting roads,” he added.

Expert speak

“It’s a good project and 8% of plastic can be used for asphalting. Currently, BBMP gets Rs 5 to Rs 6 for every kg of plastic waste but pays Rs 26 per kg of plastic granules. This is a commercially viable project where BBMP gets processed plastic. We have to see what benefits will accrue to BBMP for providing land”. — V Ravichander, civic analyst

Times View

The BBMP’s plan to tackle two pressing problems at one go bodes well for the environment as well as for motorists. The scourge of plastic waste has been difficult to eliminate and the proposal to put it to good use for asphalting roads is a great example of waste to wise. It’s now up to the civic body to issue all the necessary clearances swiftly so that the project can be implemented. The city can surely do with less plastic waste and smoother roads, and the sooner the better.