Poor patronage forces corporation to shut swap shops

Civic body finds it hard to weed out discarded articles

May 08, 2017 08:47 pm | Updated 08:47 pm IST

KOCHI: Swap shops opened by the Kochi Corporation to collect discarded but usable articles, in a bid to redistribute them among the needy, have been shut down owing to lack of takers.

Health standing committee chairperson V.K. Minimol said the idea was to collect as much usable articles as possible. “However, people are reluctant to accept discarded items. Swap shops were open only for a few days as it was found that the materials collected could not be redistributed effectively,” she added.

A large number of articles had accumulated at the shops at Fort Kochi and Kadavanthra. Though items like clothes were distributed among residents of homes for the poor, the civic body was left with a large volume of materials that could not be redistributed.

e-waste disposal

However, the corporation has met with success in its bid to get rid of electronic waste in a sustainable manner, said Ms. Minimol. She added that discarded electronic equipment was being collected, and that those who brought such materials were being paid ₹10 per kg, and the collected items were being disposed of through Clean Kerala Company (CKC), which was constituted under the Department of Local Self Government.

CKC was formed to ensure sustainable management of waste through innovative methods. The company has initiated steps to collect plastic and e-waste as part of its efforts to put an end to unscientific waste disposal.

The corporation authorities have so far collected and disposed of around seven tonnes of electronic waste through CKC.

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