AHMEDABAD: Gujarat has taken the lead in tackling pollution caused by massive quantity of hazardous plastic waste generated by various industries, especially paper making units of south Gujarat.
Beginning with just 500 tonnes in 2011-12, the quantity of plastic sent to replace the coal as fuel in cement plant, has touched
nearly 3.5 lakh tonnes plastic waste in 2017-18. This is highest among all states in India.
Co-processing is the use of waste material as source of fuel or energy in industries by replacing the conventional sources like coal, gas or petroleum products.
Official figures reveal that the beginning with just 500 tonnes in 2011-2012, the quantity of plastic waste used as fuel in cement plants has gone up to 70,000 tonnes in 2017-18.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has authorized 54 cement plants in India to accept plastic waste for co-processing out of which 15 plants have already started doing so.
Approximately 400 tonnes of plastic waste is generated by paper making units in Vapi industrial area alone every day, disposal of which was a major headache, both for the industries as well as Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).
Hardik Shah, former member secretary, GPCB and presently posted in union environment and forest ministry, said, “Co-processing is a game-changer which can be adopted by other sectors like thermal power plants and steel industry too. But these industries need assured supply of plastic in proper form and this can be done only by formalizing the informal waste collection and disposal.”
Cement industries are one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.
Shah said one tonne plastic replaces 1.2 tonnes coal, which translates into a massive saving for the cement industries considering that plastic waste costs Rs 3 to Rs four per kg compared to top quality Rs 8-Rs 9 per kg coal.
Ulhas Parlikar, director, Geocycle India, a shared services unit of ACC Ltd and Ambuja Cement, told TOI: “We facilitated management of 1.2 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in 2017 as alternate fuel in our 14 plants across India, more than half of which was in Gujarat plant alone.”
As per estimates, the total plastic waste consumed by Indian cement industry as alternative fuel resource was 2.5 lakh tons in 2017. This means that the companies saved equal amount of coal.
Sandip Patel, CEO of NEPRA, a waste management start-up near Pirana, said, “We collect or buy waste from all sources including offices, townships and rag pickers and recycle it. Of this total waste, 10% is not recyclable and this is shredded and sent to cement plants. We send nearly 300 tonnes of plastic waste every month to companies like JK Cement, Ultratech, Dalmiya Group and others.”
The United Nations too has accepted the model of co processing pioneered by Gujarat.
By Tushar Prabhune
