Total ban on single-use plastic by 22 in State: Minister Balineni Srinivasa Rao

Vijayawada: Minister for energy, forests and environment Balineni Srinivas Reddy said the state government is committed to the total ban of single-use plastic and was taking steps in towards this goal.

Stating that plastic waste management was very beneficial to the municipalities and corporations in the state, he congratulated the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation for converting the plastic waste into energy that could be used by cement companies along with coal as energy.

The minister flagged off trucks carrying solid plastic material to UltraTech Cement plant in a programme organised in Ajit Singh Nagar on Tuesday. The civic body had set up a plastic recycling plant in Ajit Singh Nagar and converting the plastic waste into plastic blocks which are used by cement companies for generating energy. Cement companies are purchasing the plastic blocks from VMC. Initially, 30 tonne solid plastic was sent to UtraTech cement company on Tuesday.

Addressing on the occasion, minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy said the plastic recycling plants were very useful for elimination of harmful plastic. "The state government was planning total ban on single-use plastic by 2022. Though the ban on single-use plastic came into force in 2016, but it could not be implemented strictly," he said.

Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu has said the civic body collects 500 metric tonne garbage every day and plastic recycling plant would help in converting the plastic waste into energy for the cement plants.

Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board chairman B S S Prasad said plastic waste could be used as energy by cement companies and it can reduce the coal consumption between 5 to 15 per cent in future. Municipal commissioner Prasanna Venkatesh explained the objectives of steps being taken by VMC for waste management and recycling of plastic waste.