Maharashtra Plastic Ban: BMC collects plastic, but no way to recycle

Though the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has already started collecting plastic waste by putting up bins across the city, it has no mechanism to dispose it and is exploring solutions.

As per the provision, the collected plastic has to be given only to those organisations that can recycle or dispose of it scientifically. But no such organisations exit in Mumbai. The state government has set a deadline of June 23 for all citizens and stakeholders to stop using plastic.

"As per the notification," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant Municipal Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), "the state will continue to collect plastic and store it in 37 dry waste collection centres." He added that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) will depute organisations, with expertise in plastic disposal, to manage the waste.

A senior BMC official said that mechanical recycling is the only widely adopted technology for large-scale treatment of plastic solid waste. "The main steps include removal of organic residue, followed by shredding, melting, and remolding of the polymer, which is often blended with virgin plastic to produce a material with suitable properties for manufacturing," he said.