BMC Signs MoU For Sustainable Plastic Waste Management System In City

Bhubaneswar: In a unique initiative and partnership, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages will put in place a sustainable Plastic Waste Management system in Bhubaneswar. An MOU was signed at BMC Conference Hall to this effect today afternoon.
Under this unique collaborative venture, a 6,000 sq. ft area Swachhata Kendra will be established near the temporary transit station (TTS) for the transport of solid waste, near Sainik School, Bhubaneswar.

The initial partnership shall be initiated in 10 BMC wards 12, 13, 16, 25, 27, 30, 34, 40, 41 and 53. The collaboration in the project aims to streamline plastic recycling in the city. Swachhta Kendra or “integrated material recovery centre” will be meant for recycling all types of plastic.

The Swachhta Kendra will aim to ensure collection of nearly 5 MTs/ day of all types of plastics collection, segregation from different sources and to create a capacity of 10 ton per day minimum processing of all types of plastic waste.

At the end of four years, the Swachhta Kendra project near TTS, targets better management, including collection, segregation and recycling of at least 6,800 metric tons of waste in the city of Bhubaneswar. This will also improve socio-economic conditions and ensure better lives and livelihoods of at least 700 waste pickers or Swachh Sathis in compliance with Government of India; Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.
The scope of involvement of UNDP would be in two phases. In Phase 1 (4 years) there will be direct involvement during operational and funding support and in Phase 2 (6 years), it will be in a supporting and advisory role to ensure the project scales and expands into the entire Bhubaneswar and beyond.

 Project Benefit:

The project benefits would also include identification of the spots/places for decentralised dry waste collection centers (DWCC) in the city and create women entrepreneurs through the women self-help groups for supply of plastic to the main Swachhta Kendra. The DWCC will act as waste banks and will be connected through apps. They will be optimised through the best transport mechanisms.

A Swachhata Kendra aims to give value addition to different types of plastics. It will be connected to recyclers and other stakeholders.

The project through BMC and the State Pollution Control Board would work with the respective state departments for supply of less than 50-micron thin plastics shredded to 2.4 mm. It would also be in touch with cement companies and power plants to take plastic waste in bales.

The pilot project will ensure all social security measures like insurances, health, pensions, dress, safety gears, identity cards, health etc, for all the 20 waste pickers (Swachh Sathii) involved directly at the Swachhta Kendra or the 600-odd involved in collection and segregation at the various levels, places within the waste value chain/waste ecosystem as explained in the waste inflow-outflow point over four years.

The project will also take up IEC related actions in the areas with the Citizens Forum, at the waste pickers colonies, RWAs, market committees and associations, schools, colleges, institutions and other cultural and special events.