CHAMOLI: In July 2019, the Chamoli municipality, devised a plan to recycle the old plastic. The plastic that is left to decompose on the sides of several tourist spots was to be turned into recyclable tiles that will be used on roads.
However, the ambitious project — initiated by the Municipal Corporation, Chamoli, — has run into some complications.
Anil Pant, executive officer, Chamoli municipality told TOI, “We used to sell the plastic waste earlier, so, we planned to convert the old plastic into recyclable tiles. We started the work on an experimental basis but where to discharge the chemical-laden water that is generated by the end of the process. Thus, before investing public money in the project, it has to be made sure that it is a feasible and functional process.”
The process of converting plastic into recyclable tiles is done in three phases. All the trash is first sorted into old usable plastic and unusable trash, then the old plastic is recycled and put into moulds and finally, shaping is done to make it look like a perfect tile.
The idea was to make use of the old plastic generated in the district instead of selling it and contributing to pollution. But, in order to cool the moulded plastic to form tiles, a huge amount of water is required that works as a coolant. This water, by the end of the process, is laden with chemicals, and the Municipality is still trying to figure out how to dispose of this water safely.
Discharging the chemical water on the roads or in the rivers is as harmful to the environment as plastic. So, how to dispose of this chemical water so that it does not harm the environment is still a challenge.
(By Somanshi)
