'Recycling? My foot!' This is what shoes say

The disposal of shoes and foam bags made of rexine is becoming a growing challenge in terms of waste management as the material is not easily recyclable. Chief research scientist of Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc, Hoysall N Chanakya, in his inaugural speech at the national conference on ‘Waste management towards sustainable development in Indian context’ at Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women on Friday, said: “The value of recycling has to highlighted and people’s attitude towards recycling has to change. Awareness, especially among housewives and maids needs, to be brought about.”Chanakya invoked students at the conference to come up with newer technology in terms of waste management. Over the years, the new technologies would bear good results, he emphasised.Chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Board (KSPCB), Vaman Acharya, who was also a panellist at the conference, said managing garbage, along with construction waste, has been the greatest challenge for the board for the past 15 years. “We need to think about newer ways of handling industrial and pharma waste. In order to come up with 1 kg of medicine, about 1,000 tonnes of waste is generated. Mismanagement of solid waste is yet another area that needs to be looked into. Agricultural waste is carelessly strewn on the roads. Red mud and ash, which can be utilised for better purpose, is also just thrown out.”