As a Ravana made of single-use plastic was symbolically destroyed in a mock-up cement plant at the Ramlila Maidan here on Tuesday, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry pushed for increasing the amount of plastic disposed of in cement plants in the country.
The plastic Ravana, which was among five such effigies put up by the Cement Manufacturers Association along with the Ministry in five cities, represented evil, said BJP MP Vijay Goel.
Non-recyclable plastic
Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said about 9,000 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic was produced every day.He added that the government was in talks with the CMA to increase the amount of plastic disposed at cement plants, with 46 of the 238 plants in the country currently using some amount of plastic.
He said that the plastic waste is burned in the cement kilns at high temperatures — ensuring that the destruction was environment-friendly — and reducing the amount of plastic littered on the streets.
Mr. Mishra said urban local bodies would provide the plastic waste to the cement industry for it to be used in the plants.
CMA secretary-general Aparna Dutt Sharma said the cement industry was helping dispose of plastic waste by using it as refuse derived fuel (RDF) after municipalities segregate and convert it into bales.
