Karnataka's waste-to-wealth way out of plastic mess

In an order, RDPR department has said that all road works should have 5-10% non-recyclable plastic waste blended with bitumen

Karnataka had mandated the use of plastic waste in the construction of rural roads.

Besides cutting costs by an estimated Rs 10,000 per km, this would allow citizens to earn by selling single-use items to the government.

In an order, the Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department has said that all road works should have 5-10% non-recyclable plastic waste blended with bitumen.

This would lead to small, but significant savings as rural road development worth Rs 5,000 crore is in progress or will be executed over the next one year, according to officials.

“Research has shown that the use of 5-10% plastic in the work would not only make bitumen effective, but also lead to long-lasting roads,” the order states. The order cites the example of Erode district in Tamil Nadu where the use of bitumen for one km of road work came down from 5,475 kg to 5,037 kg - a reduction of 438 kg.

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One kg of bitumen costs Rs 58, making it Rs 25,404 for 438 kg. However, one kg of plastic waste costs Rs 35, making it Rs 15,330 for 438 kg, leading to savings of Rs 10,074 per km.

“So far, 14 gram panchayats have used 24,280 kg of shredded plastic on 25 km of bitumen roads, saving Rs 3.93 lakh,” the order states.

Additional chief secretary (RDPR) L K Atheeq told DH that his department would set up plastic shredding centres at taluk-level. “The same centres will also have a facility to buy plastic. People can sell plastic at a particular rate, let’s say Rs 10 per kg,” he said.

“Once we have shredded plastics and we compel contractors to buy plastic to use it
for blending with bitumen, we will be creating a market for plastic,” he said, adding that any plastic that melts at 180 degrees or less and can be shredded is fit for blending.

Atheeq called it a “win-win strategy” of using plastic as well as helping the plastic industry survive.

“We believe that a market-based instrument that creates incentive for people to sell plastic is more effective when compared to the regulatory approach of enforcing a plastic ban,” he said.

Karnataka was among the first states to ban plastic use in 2016. Pointing to BBMP’s efforts on having plastic-mixed roads, Atheeq said such efforts were made in the past.

“Without sustained and strict implementation of the blending mandates, such efforts are likely to fizzle out,” he said.