BSWML sends plastic waste to cement factories across state

Bengaluru: Aiming to reduce the burden on landfills and put plastic waste to better use, the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has started approaching cement factories in and around Karnataka.

Low-value plastic (LVP) can be used to produce electricity. There is demand for it in cement factories, where LVP is burnt at high temperatures in cement kilns.

As a first step, BSWML dispatched 160 tonnes of LVP to Dalmia Cement in Kadapa on Monday.

“The agreement is to send 250 tonnes of LVP every day. However, they are ready to take up to 1,000 tonnes per day. Depending on how this works, we will gradually scale up,” said Kareegowda, CEO, BSWML.

In return for the LVP, BSWML will receive Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) credits that could earn the company close to Rs 1,000 for every tonne of LVP supplied. EPR is a policy where companies are responsible for recycling or processing the non-biodegradable waste they produce for packaging.

“Many companies package their products in plastic bottles and covers. However, they may not be able to collect it back and recycle it. Hence, EPR was introduced.

"It is similar to TDR and will help us earn close to Rs 1,000 per tonne of plastic,” Kareegowda explained.

Apart from this, close to 150 tonnes is also being sent to the Bidadi waste-to-energy plant, set up as a joint venture by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL).

BSWML is also in talks with deputy commissioners of various districts to coordinate and propose the solution to cement factories in their jurisdiction.