The Clean Kerala Company (CKC), in association with local self-government institutions (LSGIs), will facilitate setting up a hundred plastic shredding units by September 1 across the State.
“The company has entered into an agreement with 31 local bodies for the same, and 200 more have evinced willingness to join,” said CKC managing director Kabeer B. Haroon.
Eleven local bodies have started production, and these include two each in Ernakulam and Thiruvanathapuram.
In 2016-17, as much as 43 tonnes of plastic was used to tar roads in about 140 local bodies, said Mr. Haroon. The Public Works Department (PWD) was given eight tonnes of plastic chips for road tarring, he added.
The usage limit of plastic to improve binding of bitumen in the road tarring process has been raised to 20% from the earlier 10%. A government order in this regard is expected soon. The percentage was likely to be raised for improving binding strength, keeping in tune with the kind of demand generated, said Mr. Haroon.
Each machine will be able to process a tonne of plastic that will yield 800 kg of shredded plastic chips a day. This can be sold to CKC at ₹15 a kg.
The LSGIs, which have taken up a share of CKC, will be given ₹18 a kg for the product. The LSGIs can also enter into an agreement to sell higher grade plastic shreds for recycling or it can be given to any other agency.
