KOCHI: With the authorities clueless about disposing of foam-based waste from households in the wake of the recent floods, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) held discussions with cement manufacturing companies to channelise such materials for industrial purpose.Recently, the KSPCB held talks with a few cement companies over using waste like damaged beds, sofa cushions and pillows for manufacturing cement.
KSPCB Ernakulam regional chief environmental engineer M A Baiju said the department has pinned hopes on the cement companies to shift the foam waste piled up at various waste collection points. “The damaged beds, sofa cushions and pillows can be used by the cement companies for co-incineration purpose at their factories. A meeting in this regard was held with Kerala-based and other-state cement companies,” he said.
Though a final agreement is yet to be reached, the KSPCB believes the talks ended on a positive note. “We hope, the cement companies can help us in the current situation. We have discussed the mechanism by which the waste can be shifted from here,” he said.
The Kerala Suchitwa Mission is coordinating the waste disposal system in the state. Biodegradable waste, plastic waste, e-waste and hospital waste dumped on the streets have been moved to various collection points. “The waste will be segregated and shifted to disposal plants. We are also moving waste to the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant,” he said.
More than 500 tonnes of waste was collected daily from various localities under 22 local bodies in Ernakulam district alone. Aluva, Paravur and Nedumbassery were the worst-affected areas where all the houses were submerged.