CB BureauTata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) has begun operating a dry waste processing plant at Mithapur, Gujarat. This is an initiative launched under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan campaign and is being implemented in partnership with Sampurnearth Environment Solutions Pvt. Ltd, a social enterprise working towards changing the non-cyclic process of waste management.
The dry waste management plant will process three types of plastic wastes: industrial, municipal and scrap. Part of the processed products will be supplied to the local cement plant, which will use them as fuel, supporting the circular economy concept.
To create a sustainable entrepreneurship model, TCSRD reached out to the locals engaged in waste collection and supported them in starting self-help groups (SHG). The plant has created employment opportunities for 16 people, including 9 women. Currently the plant is processing about 1 tonne of plastic waste per day. The plan is to increase processing capacity up to three tonnes per day.
According to TCSRD, it has always taken proactive steps to drive waste-management initiatives including collection, segregation and safe disposal of plastic waste as per extended producer responsibility norms.
CB’s questions on details on the steps taken to ensure collection of waste and the SHGs as well as the medium- to long-term responsibility of maintaining the plant did not receive any response from the company.