Bottle banks to crush & recycle plastic waste in city soon: PMC

Patna: In an effort to tackle the growing menace of plastic waste, Patna Smart City Limited (PSCL) has decided to set up ‘ bottle banks ' at various public places as part of the civic body's ‘No Plastic, Fantastic' campaign launched on Aug 15. The initiative is aimed at crushing and recycling used plastic bottles, reducing their harmful impact on the environment.

In the first phase, 20 bottle-shaped iron cages will be installed across the city, including at Gandhi Maidan, Marine Drive, Patna coo, Bailey Road, Patna Junction roundabout, pedestrian subway (entry point and inside) and the model vending zone at Kadamkuan.

Animesh Kumar Parashar, commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation and managing director of PSCL, said the bottle bank is a unique concept. "Different collection points will be installed across the city to tackle the plastic bottle menace. Awareness programmes will also be organised to discourage people from dumping plastic bottles in rivers and drains. Unscrupulous dumping of bottles into drains often leads to clogging, resulting in waterlogging during heavy rains. The initiative will also help to stop such unhealthy practices," he said, adding that an NGO working in environmental protection will assist in the project.

Parashar said the collected bottles would be sent to the material recovery facility (MRF) at the landfill site, where they would be recycled and transformed into reusable resources. "This will contribute to a cleaner and greener environment," he said.

The bottle banks, which are seven feet tall, can accommodate 350 to 500 bottles. Officials said they come in two sizes: 2.5 metres and 3.5 metres wide, weighing 65 kg and 85 kg respectively. Five movable banks will also be prepared for rallies, fairs, and other large events.

According to officials, PMC already operates MRF facilities at Ramachak Bairiya and Kankerbagh circle, with capacities of 245 tonnes per day (TPD) and 2 TPD respectively. "The collected bottles will be crushed into granules (small chips or flakes) for further recycling into new products like bricks and packaging material," they said.

PSCL has also planned to install bottle banks at educational institutes in the second phase. Each unit costs up to Rs 15,000 to make and takes two to three days to prepare.