India: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has proposed a roadmap for implementing new plastic waste management rules that recommends the disposal of such waste in cement kilns. It also wants to make manufacturers responsible for collecting waste generated from their products, according to the Mint newspaper. The environment ministry introduced the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules 2016 in March 2016 and the draft guidelines were released in September 2016. The new regulations are expected to replace the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011.
"The preferred option for disposal of non-recyclable plastic waste is co-processing in cement plants due to its high temperature. The producers of non-recyclable plastic, major uses like food packaging, pharmaceuticals, multilayer film manufacturing industries in consultation with local authority, cement plants shall work out modalities for co-processing of such waste in cement kilns," the draft says.
15,000t of plastic waste are believed to be generated daily in the country but only 9000t of this is collected and processed. State Pollution Control Boards may consider incentives such as reduction of water cess/consent fee for cement plants, according to the draft guidelines.
