Plastic Recycling in India

 manufacturing industries in the south.
Indian plastic industry is in the path of anSources of plastic waste (Scrap plastic):
impressive growth now. So what is the position ofIt was estimated that India generates 5600 tones
India in global plastic recycling market? Whenof plastic waste daily. The two main sources of
compared to the usage of steel and aluminum,scrap plastic in India as classified into two
the usage of plastics is more on volume basis. Butcategories namely consumer waste and industrial
India was the last in consumption of plasticswaste. The consumer wastes include the wastes
among America, Europe and China. However thishousehold waste, hospital waste and street
comparison was done by the year 2003. So whatwaste. And as the name indicates, industrial waste
is the current position of India in global plasticincludes all the waste plastic from industries. Plastic
market and what will be its future?waste demands the highest cost in the recycled
Indian economy and plastic industry:market i.e.12-15 INR per kg. In the year 2002
In the year 2000, India was 10th in plasticaround 2 million tones of plastic waste was
consumption. But owing to the growth throughcollected countrywide.
2000-2008, it’s expected India to be the 3rdEnvironmental factors:
largest consumer of plastics by 2010. ObviouslyConsidering the damage created by the plastics to
by this great leap in this industry the totalthe environment, the government tries to ban the
contribution of plastic industry to Indian economyusage of plastics in the country. But thousands of
will also jump to 44Bn USD by 2010.families in India make there living out of the
Employment in plastic recycling industry:money earned through plastic waste recycling.
In a report, it was stated like “plastic recyclingAny such total ban in this sector will also
system can turn a menace into employmentadversely affect the countries economy
opportunity for millions”. When compared to anegatively.
plastic manufacturing firm, a plastic recycling firmConclusion:
can employ approx 7 times more people. As wellSo what should we ignore? Is that the
as India is a concerned, Indians require moreenvironmental factors or the economic growth of
employment opportunities also. As the plasticthe country and Poor’s livelihood? As both of
recycling also contributes a good will to thethem are equally important we should find an
environment, this industry definitely has a greatanswer for this menace. In the attempt to clean
future.up one segment should not result in “throwing
Processing units in India:the baby out of the window along with the bath
There are over 22,000 plastic processing unitswater”. As India has a great resource of man
and over 150 plastic processing machinerypower and technology, plastic recycling can be
manufactures in India. The machinery units supplydeveloped more and the environmental bugs can
over 2500 machineries per annum. There arebe fixed. As an old saying, “give me a rock, I
some associations like All India Plastic Industrieswill turn it to a masterpiece”, these waste
Association which was incorporated in 1982 toplastics can be processed and reused. That will
solve various issues in Import duty of polymersprovide a lot of employment and also contributes
etc. And also the first international trade exhibitiona lot to economy, the two main aspects that
named PLASTEC-2008 is to be held at Chennai,India needs today.
the gateway of Tamilnadu to benefit plastic