Participants at a workshop on banning single-use plastic in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Expressing concern over the ineffectiveness of collecting dry waste once a week from houses in the city, Senior Environment Officer of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Mangaluru, Vijaya Hegde, said in Mangaluru on Tuesday that more mixed waste was landing at the waste processing unit of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) in Pachchanady.
Speaking at a workshop on ‘making Mangaluru single-use plastic free city’ at the MCC council hall, Ms. Hegde said the MCC has been collecting dry waste once in a week (on Friday) in order to ensure that segregated waste lands at waste processing unit in Pachchanady.
“On the field, dry waste is not being effectively collected once a week. Mixed waste continues to be taken from the houses to waste processing unit and this is affecting waste processing,” she said.
Ms. Hegde called upon councillors of Mangaluru City Corporation to take active part in domestic waste processing and ensure waste is segregated at the source and transported to the waste processing site. Only through collective action, the city can become single-use plastic free city, she said.
T. Mahima, senior scientific officer, Central Pollution Control Board, speaking at a workshop on banning single-use plastic in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
H.S. MANJUNATH
Ms. Hegde said the Mangaluru City Corporation should register as a plastic waste recycler on the Centralised Extended Producers’ Responsibility portal for Plastic Packaging of the Central Pollution Control Board. Following registration, the MCC can earn income from processing of dry waste. According to Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, Producers, Importers and Brand-owners (PIBs), have been given the responsibility to ensure processing of their plastic packaging waste through recycling, re-use or end of life disposal. All the PIBs are registered on the portal, she said.
Ms. Hegde said Mysuru City Corporation and Indore Municipal Corporation have registered on the portal and are earning money from plastic processing.
Earlier, T. Mahima, senior scientific officer of Central Pollution Control Board, said improved lifestyle is leading to increase of waste. On an average, every person in Karnataka was generating 123 grams of waste per day. Karnataka stands 10th in terms of waste generation. Majority of waste generated is mixed one, which does not decompose and it lands at land fill sites. As much as 40 lakh tonnes of plastic waste is being produced per annum in Karnataka, she said.
Instead of single-use plastic items namely carry bags, plates, spoons and other items, Ms. Mahima called upon people to make use of alternatives available in the form of steel, glass, wood and compostible/ biodegradable bags.