KOZHIKODE: At a time when the state is choking on the burgeoning plastic menace, the local bodies are eyeing to turn trash into gold. With Clean Kerala Company, an initiative of the state government, coming up with a project to construct roads using shredded plastic, demand for the same has sky-rocketed. Many local bodies are raking in the moolah by selling plastic waste for road tarring.
As per the data available with the Clean Kerala Mission, there are nine local bodies, including corporations, municipalities and panchayats, having plastic shredding units.
Around 16 tonnes of shredded plastic has been used for construction of roads hitherto. Another 17 tonnes is required for road work this month.
“The mission is to find a sustainable solution to the plastic menace by making use of it for road construction and to make it into a money-spinner for local bodies,” said an officer with Clean Kerala Mission.
Many initiatives are there to tackle the recyclable plastic waste. But, the threat posed by non-recyclable plastic like polythene bags and sheets was a challenge. And, the project aims to find a feasible way to address this issue,the officer said.
As many as 110 local bodies have joined hands for the project. Among them, nine civic bodies are supplying shredded plastic, while remaining 101 local bodies are buyers. We are offering shredded plastic at `15 per kg to local bodies”, said the officer.
According to officers, the demand for shredded plastic has also jumped since the state government decided to construct more roads using plastic waste in each district on an experimental basis.