For making Tamil Nadu plastic-free state, CM Stalin to go for buyback policy

The Tamil Nadu government is developing a strategy to buyback plastic products and to be set up Reverse Vending machines in association with FMCG companies.

Chief Minister on Thursday inaugurated a campaign to make Tamil Nadu plastic-free and to promote cloth bags in large volumes. The government is also in talks with a major corporate company for construction of 1,000 toilets in the state made of non-recyclable plastic waste.

To reduce the stress caused by the overuse of plastic in the environment, the government is planning a strategy to improve Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) for the manufacturers.

The Chief Minister`s office has already directed all the district administrations to have a discussion with the companies in their respective districts to evolve strategies regarding buy-back plans of plastics and for use of this material in the construction industry.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu environment department told IANS that the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages (HCCB) is in talks with the Tiruvallur district administration for use of construction materials from plastic waste.

The company under its CSR initiative has already adopted eight villages in and around Nemam where the factory of HCCB is located and has already got approval for building a model toilet at Nemam in the district of Tiruvallur.

The HCCB has entered into an association with Ricron Panels, a company that has specialised in the business of converting plastic waste into eco-friendly construction material.

The state environment department in a study found that on an average a person in the state is using and discarding a plastic bottle a day. This would lead to installing 5,000 to 6,000 Reverse vending machines in the state for safe deposit of plastic material.