Thermoset plastic is the non-recyclable and non-reusable plastic; that is very detrimental to the environment. Now, this plastic is being used in a large proportion of everyday life; it can be found in most of the day to day usage like electronics, car parts, adhesives, paint rollers, shoe soles, synthetic fibers, etc. Though there are many uses with this plastic. Unfortunately, it is non-recyclable and hence started the struggle with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
After a long struggle by the NGT for about a year, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) finally made a decision on scheming the non-recyclable thermoset plastic waste. The CPCB announced a set of guidelines in January 2015.
In the guidelines announced, the CPCB noted that “at present, no system exists with municipal bodies for collection, segregation & transportation of all kind of plastic waste including thermoset waste.” However, the Board noted that there are several ways to minimalize the pollution caused by the thermoset plastic – reduce the wastage produced, disposing of the generated waste in secure landfills, and also co-processing in cement kilns.
Among all the ways, the disposal of the generated waste in the secured landfills is considered to be the most ineffective one as the land required for the disposal of the generated waste is a huge problem to find.
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However, with the Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste Management released in 2016, the CPCB mentioned the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR). Now, according to the EPR, all the local producers of the plastic could be held responsible for the collection and disposal of the thermoset plastic waste generated from their products. Now, the CPCB emphasized on the EPR i.e. the collection of the plastic waste by the industries generated from their products, so that the waste could be taken to the “co-processing in cement kilns for recovery of material and energy value present in the plastic waste.”
The CPCB also noted that “The primary users of the Thermoset plastic like the industries, electricity authority be in consultation with local authority shall arrange to collect the waste and handover to the cement plants. They shall maintain a record of quantity generated and handed over to cement plant which shall maintain a record of the amount received and utilized.”
Additionally, it also said that the establishment of the required facilities for deployment of thermoset waste in the cement plants shall be supported and assisted by the producers of the thermoset plastics. And, also the inducements like the decrease in the water tax or the consent fee for the cement plants that process the thermoset waste shall be considered.
Of all that is mentioned above, the minimization of the waste generated from the thermosets is suggested to be the best by the CPCB. It promotes the usage of other plastics that could be easily recyclable and reusable.
Story Via; Livemint / Author: @SujanaOruganti