Cement company to use plastic waste in Goa as fuel

PANAJI: Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) today signed a memorandum of understanding ( MoU) with a cement company to use the plastic waste generated across the state, as fuel for its manufacturing plant.


Vasavdatta Cement, a company with its plant in Karnataka, would be procuring the plastic waste collected by the state agencies and village panchayats from Goa.

State Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, after signing the MoU today, said that the plastic waste collected from the highways and other internal roads would be baled before being handed over to the cement company.

Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, a state run agency, has already taken up the task of collecting garbage from the highways, while village panchayats would be asked to clean up their roads.

GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said that 150 tonnes of garbage is already collected from the roadsides.

"Two baling machines have already been installed one each in North and South Goa to treat the plastic before handing it over to the cement company," he said.

"The state requires six such machines to bale all its plastic waste," he said.

Parrikar-led government during its 2012 State Legislative Assembly election campaign had promised to clear off plastic garbage from the beaches and roadsides.

Saldanha said that the village panchayats from the beach belt would be asked to clean the stretches.

"The law is also being worked out to ensure that those who litter on the road are fined with heavy penalty," the minister said.