In a first in the State, a local body has installed a double-chamber plastic baling machine to address the plastic waste management issues at Munnar in Idukki. According to officials, Munnar panchayat installed a double-chamber plastic baling machine at the material collection facility (MCF) in Kallar, near Munnar.
Munnar panchayat secretary K.N. Sahajan said that the panchayat, a major tourist destination, generates waste of nearly eight tonnes per day. Out of these, over two tonnes are plastic waste. “Handling huge amounts of plastic waste daily was one of the major hurdles faced by the panchayat. The single-chamber baling machine installed here was unable to manage the amount of plastic. To address the issue, the panchayat decided to purchase a double-chamber plastic baling machine,” said Mr. Sahajan.
“Floret Technologies, a start-up registered under Kerala Startup Mission, specially developed the machine for Munnar panchayat. The baled plastics can be easily sold to plastic companies and cement factories. After installing the machine, the disposal of plastic waste can be completed on a day-to-day basis. This can avoid the chances of wild animals, including elephants, eating plastic waste, ” said Mr. Sahajan. Legacy waste can also be baled in the new machine, he added.
Floret Technologies managing partner Sanalkumar N. said that the double-chamber baling machine can bale out two tonnes of plastic waste daily. “The machine can work over 10 hours per day. As a popular tourist spot, lots of plastic waste can be found discarded here. The new machine can address this issue of excess plastic waste, “ he said.
Feeding on plastic
The waste management issue in Munnar came to light when wild elephants were found eating plastic waste from a dumping yard at Kallar, near Nallathanni, in January. After the incident, the Kerala High Court and State government intervened and directed Munnar panchayat officials to address the waste management issue immediately. Munnar panchayat later cleared the non-segregated waste from the dumping yard and decided not to collect non-segregated waste from households and institutions in Munnar.
According to Forest department sources , the tourist destinations in Munnar have an active presence of wild animals, including elephants.
