A model, supported by SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited, ensures sustainable supply chain management of plastic waste with inclusion of maximum stakeholders in the process
Introduction:
Plastic is recognized enabler of modern-day economy and in recent times its usage has increased several folds leading to generation of large amounts of plastic waste. A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report (2019-20) puts the total annual plastic waste generation in India at a humungous 3.4 million metric tonnes and the management of this plastic waste is one of the most formidable issues or our times. In the beginning of year 2021, Indian Pollution Control Association and SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited (SBICPSL) collaborated to conceive the idea for developing infrastructure that will support circular supply chain and sustainably solve the plastic crisis of the country. The result of the collaboration was a project named “Mantra for Advance Sustainable Solution”. Under Phase I of the project two facilities were developed in Delhi NCR; a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in East Delhi and a Plastic Waste Recycling Facility in Greater Noida. The two facilities are fully operational with a capacity to segregate 2MT of dry waste at MRF, and the installed capacity to recycle 300MT of plastic waste per month at the recycling facility. Under Phase II of the project, IPCA and SBICPSL have set up two MRFs of capacity 2 TPD each with East Delhi Municipal Corporation and one MRF of 10 MTD in association with Greater Noida Authority is under process. The addition of new MRFs will help in meeting raw material requirements of the recycling facility when operational at its full installed capacity.
This project works upon all three pillars of sustainability, namely, environment, social and economic and focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of plastic waste, improving the economic condition of waste collectors, and attempts to bring behavioral change in consumers. IPCA is actively engaged with the community to create awareness on the problem of plastic waste and educating them on correct disposal and
segregation methods.
Objective:
• To set up Material Recovery Facilities in Delhi NCR in order to improve the waste segregation and resource recovery
• To set up of Plastic Recycling Facility for low grade and non-commercial plastic waste
• To bring behavioral change in consumers with respect to plastic waste management
• To establish sustainable supply chain for plastic waste management
At the recycling facility, low grade plastic waste along with other plastic waste is utilized for the production of chip boards which are known by the brand name Ecare. At recycling unit, baled and compacted plastic waste, received from MRF, is shredded into smaller pieces. The shredded particles are processed through Hot and Cold Press to make plastic chip boards of various thickness but uniform width and length (i.e. 8 feet x 4 feet) depending upon the requirement.
The plastic chip boards are now being utilized in multiple applications like construction, automobile, furniture, playing equipment and as pallets in FMCG segment. Using chip boards, several consumer products have been developed by IPCA and quality & range of these products have been improved with time. Some images of these products are given below:
