Trichy Corporation has engaged an additional cement manufacturing facility and vendors to manage the disposal of single-use plastic products produced within the city. Over the past nine months, approximately 1,500 tonnes of plastic waste have been transported to a cement production unit in Ariyalur, where it is utilized as refuse-derived fuel (RDF). This initiative has assisted the local authority in mitigating the buildup of legacy waste at the Ariyamangalam dump yard, thereby reducing the risk of fire incidents.
Officials have announced that Trichy Corporation has secured an agreement with a private cement plant located on the outskirts of the city to send around 300 tonnes of single-use plastic waste as RDF, which will serve as fuel for the cement production furnaces.
Currently, non-recyclable and non-sellable plastic waste is exclusively directed to the cement plant in Ariyalur. Trichy city generates an average of 450 tonnes of waste daily, with approximately 25 tonnes consisting of single-use plastics, primarily utilized for packaging and food product coverings.
The accumulation or disposal of waste at micro compost centres (MCCs) and dump yards poses a fire hazard, particularly during the summer months. Vendors have been contacted to manage single-use plastic waste.
A private cement facility located near the city has shown interest in processing this waste, according to Kishore Mohan, the operations head of S R Vedhaah, the agency responsible for overseeing the city’s solid waste management. Currently, the city transfers only 8-9 tonnes of waste daily to the cement plant. Efforts are underway to engage more private cement companies and recycling vendors to manage plastic waste, thereby preventing the use of the Ariyamangalam dump yard for waste disposal.
The local authority has established five loading points at Manalvarithurai, Panjapur, Konakkarai, Ambedkar Nagar, and Ariyamangalam to facilitate the transportation of plastic waste to cement plants. All 37 MCCs will be responsible for collecting and sorting the waste, directing non-recyclable and non-saleable plastic waste to these loading points.
