Why in the News?
- Indian cities are adopting local initiatives to reduce, reuse, return, recover and recreate plastic waste.
- The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched on 2 October 2014, has strengthened waste collection, segregation and recovery systems. Identified single-use plastic items have been prohibited since 1 July 2022.
Key Highlights
- Focus: Plastic waste reduction, reuse, recovery and circular economy.
- Trichy: Market-level campaign to reduce single-use plastic.
- Vita, Maharashtra: Thaila ATMs provide reusable cotton bags.
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Buy-back system for used milk pouches.
- Bengaluru: Material Recovery Facility under UNDP Project Prithvi.
- Patiala: Multilayered Plastic (MLP) converted into durable chipboards.
- SBM focuses on source segregation, door-to-door collection, scientific waste processing and material recovery.
Reduce – Trichy Market Initiative
- Three farmers’ markets covered:
- Tennur
- K.K. Nagar
- Woraiyur
- 220 vendors engaged.
- ThunippaiThiruvizhai or Cloth-Bag Festival promoted reusable bags.
- Single-use plastic avoided:
- Tennur: 2,200 kg in one year
- K.K. Nagar: 620 kg in four months
- Woraiyur: 300 kg in six months
Reuse – Thaila ATM
- Location: Vita town, Maharashtra.
- Five Thaila ATMs installed at crowded locations.
- Provide reusable cotton bags through a vending-machine model.
- Based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology for remote stock monitoring.
- Local Self-Help Groups (SHGs) stitch the bags.
- Around 6,000 bags sold.
- Weekly market recorded nearly 200 bags in a day.
- In Indapur, authorities seized 25 kg plastic bags and imposed a ₹90,000 fine.
Return – Milk Pouch Buy-back
- Location: Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Used plastic milk pouches exchanged for rewards such as:
- Fresh milk
- Discounts
- Implemented with ANIIDCO and SVPMC.
- By November 2024:
- 17,600 milk pouches collected.
- 352 litres of milk provided as rewards.
- Uses incentives to encourage responsible disposal and recycling.
Recover – Bengaluru
- UNDP Project Prithvi supports plastic waste recovery.
- Swachhata Kendra, a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), established in 2019.
- Centre sorts plastic and processes it through:
- Shredding
- Baling
- Processed material becomes suitable for recyclers.
- Provided employment to 76 Safai Saathis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Processed plastic used for:
- Roads
- Agricultural water pipes
- Furniture
- Demonstrates the circular economy by returning waste into productive use.
Recreate – Multilayered Plastics
- Multilayered Plastics (MLPs) combine materials such as:
- Plastic
- Paper
- Aluminium
- Their multiple layers make separation and recycling difficult.
- Patiala uses a Plastic Recycling Facility (PRF).
- Process:
- Sorting → cleaning → shredding → hot/cold pressing
- Produces chipboards, an alternative to plywood.
- Applications include:
- Furniture
- Roofing
- Temporary shelters
- Capacity: 10 tonnes/day
- Produces 75-100 chipboards.
- Supports circular economy and reduces landfill waste.
Prelims Quick Revision
- SBM: Launched on 2 October 2014.
- Identified single-use plastic items prohibited from 1 July 2022.
- Trichy: 220 vendors across three farmers’ markets engaged in plastic reduction.
- Vita, Maharashtra: Five Thaila ATMs provide reusable cotton bags.
- Andaman & Nicobar: 17,600 milk pouches collected by November 2024.
- Bengaluru: Swachhata Kendra MRF established in 2019 under Project Prithvi.
- Patiala: MLP waste converted into chipboards.
- The five-part plastic approach highlighted is reduce, reuse, return, recover and recreate.
UPSC Prelims Trap
- MRF vs PRF: The Bengaluru initiative involves a Material Recovery Facility, while Patiala uses a Plastic Recycling Facility.
- MLP: Multilayered plastics are difficult to recycle because they combine multiple material layers.
- Thaila ATM: It provides reusable cotton bags, not plastic alternatives.
- Circular economy: The Bengaluru and Patiala examples demonstrate conversion of discarded plastic into new productive materials/products, rather than simply disposing of it.
