1055-kilogram plastic collected under Buy-back policy
Environmental audit of functional projects and industrial units
Shimla: The State government is ensuring to use waste plastic optimally. To reduce the risk of non-biodegradable wastes, the government has initiated a public participatory campaign ‘Polythene Hatao, Paryavaran Bachao’.
The plastic waste, collected during ‘Polythene Hatao, Paryavaran Bachao’ campaign is used for metalling of roads, as fuel for cement plants and for making refuse-derived fuel.
This campaign has started showing results as seven-kilometre road has been metalled near Taradevi in Shimla by using plastic waste.
The plastic and other waste collected by Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies which cannot be used for metalling roads is provided to the cement plants to be used as fuel.
The government has also initiated a Buy-Back policy of non-recyclable and single use plastic waste including plastic bags in Himachal Pradesh from the rag pickers and households, providing minimum support price of Rs. 75 per kilogram, for its collection and deposit in collection centers for ULBs. So far, 1055-kilogram plastic has been collected under this scheme and this is improving the economy of rag pickers as well.
In order to reduce pollution emission in industries, conservation of environment and for use of green technology, the process of environmental audit of functional projects and industrial units has been started for the first time in the state which will be done twice in a year.
On the basis of information collected by this audit and its recommendations, strategy will be devised to make industries environment compatible. This year, environmental audit of ten environmentally sensitive pharmaceutical industries, paper mills and cement plants has been started in the state.
