Civic body plans plastic brick unit for effective waste disposal
PRAYAGRAJ :The Prayagraj Nagar Nigam (PNN) may soon set up a plastic brick-manufacturing plant for the effective disposal of tonnes of waste plastic, including that being seized during raids and surprise inspections in the city.
The plant will be used to manufacture plastic bricks. It will also have a laboratory to test the compressive strength of the bricks.
“Soon a proposal to set up plastic brick plant will be sent to government. This will be set up at the Baswar Plant,” said PNN IT officer Mani Shanker Tripathi.
He said that the plant, which will have a mandatory laboratory, will prove to be a boon for the civic body as this will be an effective way to dispose of seized and waste plastics.
As compared to the traditional brick-making, this kind of project/plant has great environmental benefits: disposal of bulk waste with reduced environmental impact that arises due to burning of plastic, he said.
“Alternatively, this will also save the quanta of sand/clay that has to be taken away from river beds/mines and land,” said Tripathi.
“The other advantage is that the cost factor will be less than the bricks being manufactured in the traditional manner. This is because plastic waste is naturally available in surplus in comparison to clay-made-bricks for which requirement of land is essential,” he said.
Besides being cost-effective and a permanent solution, the other great benefit of this plant will be reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases by flue (traditionally chimney) smoke which also harms the environment. As colouring agents can also be added to the mixture to attain desired shades, this will also be helpful to manufacture plastic bricks in different colours, he added. He said to know the quality of plastic and plastic bricks a laboratory will be set up in the plant. “Here, we will also check compressive strength of the bricks,” he added.
In the last seven months – since the beginning of current financial year – the PNN authorities have seized nearly 4,300kg plastic, polythene and materials made of thermocol, thus realising over Rs 11lakh fine during this period.