After proposing a ban on plastic, the state government now is planning to workout between municipal bodies, waste-to-energy units, and cement plants to handle the plastic waste. If everything works out well, plastic will be recycled and will be used in the cement industry, road construction and as an industrial fuel.
Senior officials from the state environment department said,
The ban on plastic bags and non-reusable products will prevent the generation of fresh plastic. However, we will have to work on disposing of old plastic stocks. Hence, we will work on identifying existing plastic waste and create linkages between local bodies and industries which use plastic in manufacturing processes. This waste plastic can be used in cement manufacturing, road construction, and manufacturing of industrial fuel."
Environment minister Ramdas Kadam has put forth a plan of banning plastic bags from Gudi Padwa (March 2018) considering its environmental impact. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised that in six months there will be a complete ban on plastic with alternatives being put in place.
The official added that rag pickers and the informal sector will get incentives for collecting plastic waste.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) officials stated that around 3 to 5 per cent of municipal waste comprises plastic and Mumbai generates around 10,000 tonnes solid waste on a daily basis.
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