Kozhikode Corporation is looking for ways to overcome the vexatious accumulation of plastics waste across the city, especially when rain water stagnating in plastic waste is good breeding space for mosquitoes.
With the plastic waste recycling plant at West Hill shut down because the operator pulled out citing non-viability, the Corporation seems keen on preventing the waste from spilling out of houses and shops, into open spaces and drainage.
Kudumbasree workers engaged in collecting biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste are telling people that plastic refuse will not be collected till the recycling plant becomes operational.
Primary focus
The civic body says the primary focus is to resume operation of the recycling unit. Corporation health committee chairman K.V. Baburaj said on Monday that the civic body was working on various options, but was looking for one that would provide a complete solution to the problem of non-biodegradable waste in the city.
After assessing the city’s requirements thoroughly, the Corporation would invite tenders from competent operators to recycle the waste.
A Mysore-based company and a Kozhikode-based organisation could be among those who would bid for the project.
“But, what we are looking for is a complete solution for every non-biodegradable waste, and not just plastics. The city generates all kinds of such waste, including e-waste. We need to look at safe disposal of all these items so that they do not harm the environment. That is why we want the interested operator to take up all these waste items for disposal or recycling,” Mr. Baburaj said. Admitting that people would be inconvenienced in the days to come if plastics waste accumulated on their premises, he said the Corporation would do its best to re-open the plant soon. Till then, people could look at reducing the use of plastic disposables, instead of dumping the waste into the drainage or burning it along roads – something that had been happening in the city even when the plant functioned.
