PUDUCHERRY: As part of an initiative to rid the UT of single-use plastic waste, the Puducherry government will soon lay roads using plastic across the Union Territory. The move comes after the advice given by the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (DSTE) and the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC).
According to Senior Environmental Engineer at DSTE N Ramesh, initially, as a pilot project, a stretch of 200 metres at Edayarpalayam near the Lenovo plant in Pondicherry-Cuddalore Road would get a plastic road laid by the Ariyankuppam Commune Panchayat on April 19. A patented technology developed by Professor R Vasudevan of Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai will be used for laying the road. The road will be laid under his supervision.
Around 500 kg out of five tonnes of plastic seized by PPCC will be used to lay the 200-metre road. The seized plastic products have been cut into pieces of 2.5 sq cm and kept ready for use. The plastic will reduce 10% of the bitumen requirement and thereby, reduce overall cost of laying the road, said DSTE officials.
Following this, laying of plastic roads will be taken up in all communes and municipalities, said the official. Prior to the pilot project, a technical workshop will be conducted by Professor Vasudevan for PWD officials and engineers, Local Administration Department, DSTE and local bodies on
April 18.
The Union Territory generates around 25 tonnes of single waste plastic (SUP) a day (domestic and commercial). As this waste cannot be recycled and is not segregated at source, some of it will end up in roads and also will be converted into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) along with other non-biodegradable substances.
Harnessing bio-mining methods, the plastic is being segregated at a processing plant set up at Kurumbapet garbage dumpyard. A plant with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes is proposed to be set up at the dumping site to convert plastic to RDF, officials said. Industrial plastic waste is being sent to 20 recycling units in Puducherry, added DSTE officials.
Meanwhile, the DSTE has already come out with an action plan to gradually eliminate single-use plastic (SUP) in Puducherry. Around eight types of SUP articles were banned with effect from August 2, 2019. The DSTE has been trying to make available alternate products to strictly enforce the ban. The department has been seizing SUP products and penalising manufacturing units and stockists.