<p> There is a growing interest among people all over the world to reuse and recycle everything that we use in our daily lives. More so, when it comes to plastic and related products. Ever-concerned Mysoreans certainly want to join movement. But then, it is surprising to note that city does not have a single plastic recycling unit, reveals Preethi Nagaraj<br /><br /></p>.<p>For a city that is used to being moderate, more so like a proper middle class family which has learnt to live within the small salary of its head, the recent surge in supermarkets and mega shopping places has simply thrown open another side of the world. <br /><br />Friendly-shopper gone, it is now the age of shopping-on-the-move. Everything comes wrapped in plastic. Though Mysore City Corporation (MCC) in the recent days carried out a drive clearing all kinds of shops off harmful plastic, city is still largely using this mega monster of a plastic to bring home foods, and goodies.<br /><br />What happens to all the rejected plastic then? It simply goes into the dustbin. While some families take care to segregate, others largely don’t care. <br /><br />Result, choking city, drains and poison in the air when the cement units holding garbage are set afire.<br /><br />Why does this happen? Why has the city not committed itself reuse, and recycle to save the future? <br /><br />Answer is simple. City DOES NOT have a plastic recycling unit. Of all the 22,000 manufacturing/processing industries in the district, not one is dedicated to reuse or reprocessing of plastic.<br /><br />What happens to the waste that city throws out? All the garbage that gets generated in the city, gets segregated or lands straight at excel plant on the outskirts where heaps of plastic competes with the picturesque Chamundi hill. And that, sometimes, and more frequently than not, ‘accidentally catches fire,’ adding more poison to the air. <br /><br />Wait for Centre’s nod<br /><br />City’s ambitious project to generate fuel and perfume from plastic is awaiting Centre’s approval. Inordinate delay has put things on the back burner since the project was conceived almost a year ago. <br /><br />Commissioner of Mysore City Corporation, K S Raykar admits there is no plastic recycling unit and if this project comes through, city will be self-sufficient in handling its waste. <br /><br />“Right now, all the waste generated, especially plastic is being picked up by a host of vendors, who take it to Bangalore and put through a process which readies plastic waste for reuse,” he says.<br /><br />For a city that produces 26 tonnes of garbage a day, with plastic being the main component, it is rather surprising that a plastic recycling unit does not figure anywhere on the radar. Citizen’s committees which have in the recent years taken active interest in garbage management issues, have remained distant from the issue.<br /><br />Result: Plastic from city that gets recycled in Bangalore, lands up right at our doorsteps, and we pay to buy it. So, in a way, waste is costing us a hell lot of money!<br /></p>
<p> There is a growing interest among people all over the world to reuse and recycle everything that we use in our daily lives. More so, when it comes to plastic and related products. Ever-concerned Mysoreans certainly want to join movement. But then, it is surprising to note that city does not have a single plastic recycling unit, reveals Preethi Nagaraj<br /><br /></p>.<p>For a city that is used to being moderate, more so like a proper middle class family which has learnt to live within the small salary of its head, the recent surge in supermarkets and mega shopping places has simply thrown open another side of the world. <br /><br />Friendly-shopper gone, it is now the age of shopping-on-the-move. Everything comes wrapped in plastic. Though Mysore City Corporation (MCC) in the recent days carried out a drive clearing all kinds of shops off harmful plastic, city is still largely using this mega monster of a plastic to bring home foods, and goodies.<br /><br />What happens to all the rejected plastic then? It simply goes into the dustbin. While some families take care to segregate, others largely don’t care. <br /><br />Result, choking city, drains and poison in the air when the cement units holding garbage are set afire.<br /><br />Why does this happen? Why has the city not committed itself reuse, and recycle to save the future? <br /><br />Answer is simple. City DOES NOT have a plastic recycling unit. Of all the 22,000 manufacturing/processing industries in the district, not one is dedicated to reuse or reprocessing of plastic.<br /><br />What happens to the waste that city throws out? All the garbage that gets generated in the city, gets segregated or lands straight at excel plant on the outskirts where heaps of plastic competes with the picturesque Chamundi hill. And that, sometimes, and more frequently than not, ‘accidentally catches fire,’ adding more poison to the air. <br /><br />Wait for Centre’s nod<br /><br />City’s ambitious project to generate fuel and perfume from plastic is awaiting Centre’s approval. Inordinate delay has put things on the back burner since the project was conceived almost a year ago. <br /><br />Commissioner of Mysore City Corporation, K S Raykar admits there is no plastic recycling unit and if this project comes through, city will be self-sufficient in handling its waste. <br /><br />“Right now, all the waste generated, especially plastic is being picked up by a host of vendors, who take it to Bangalore and put through a process which readies plastic waste for reuse,” he says.<br /><br />For a city that produces 26 tonnes of garbage a day, with plastic being the main component, it is rather surprising that a plastic recycling unit does not figure anywhere on the radar. Citizen’s committees which have in the recent years taken active interest in garbage management issues, have remained distant from the issue.<br /><br />Result: Plastic from city that gets recycled in Bangalore, lands up right at our doorsteps, and we pay to buy it. So, in a way, waste is costing us a hell lot of money!<br /></p>