Plastic carry bags fetch a maximum of Rs. 20 per kg and plastic bottles up to Rs. 12 per kg at the plastic waste and dry waste collection centre opened at Mallikatta three weeks ago.
Canara Plastic Manufacturers’ and Traders Association and the Mangaluru City Corporation have opened the centre at the entrance of the vegetable market on a pilot basis.
According to the president of the association B.A. Nazeer, the corporation provided the land for the centre, which is a small shop, and the association was maintaining it through outsourcing.
150kg per day
Saul Hameed, who is in charge of the centre, told The Hindu that it collected about 150 kg of plastic waste material and dry waste daily.
It included about 80 kg to 100 kg of plastic waste covers and plastic bottles and the remaining dry waste included waste papers. The centre attracted about 15 to 20 persons daily.
The centre which started functioning from December 12 is open throughout the week and it collects waste from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Fridays it is closed for a brief period during noon, he said.
Mr. Hameed said that recently two persons from Vamanjoor brought their waste and normally people from Kadri brought the waste materials.
High quality carry bags fetched up to Rs. 20 a kg and low quality ones up to Rs. 15 a kg. Waste plastic bottles fetched from Rs. 10 a kg to Rs. 12 a kg.
More centres planned
Mr. Nazeer said that if the response of the people continued, at least five more centres would be opened in different parts of the city to prevent people from dumping waste plastic materials in public places.
A corporation official said that if people segregated waste at houses and kept plastic materials separately it would help in collecting segregated waste from door steps and strengthen the door to door collection of waste in the city. They could sell the plastic materials stored to the centre or centres.
High quality carry bags will fetch up to Rs. 20 a kg
Low quality bags will fetch up to Rs. 15 a kg
Waste plastic bottles will fetch up to Rs. 12 a kg
