1. Threats and Challenges for the Plastics Industry : An
Indian Perspective
WASTE MANAGEMENT: THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES
A presentation by…
ARVIND M MEHTA
Chairman
Plastivision India Advisory Board. AIPMA
Executive Director
Council of International Plastics
Association Directors (CIPAD)
Past President: Plastindia Foundation
Past President: AIPMA
Miami, USA. 4-5 December 2012
Country Report: Plastics Industry in India- Issues and Challenges

2. Dry Waste
Agriculture
Recycled
Plastic
Wet
Products
Waste
Composting
Segregation
Recycling of
Plastics Waste
Dump Yard
Sale of Dry Waste Segregated Dry Waste
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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3. 6% Disposal site Plastic Waste in %
9% Street Dumping
6% Vegetable Market
Commercial
7% Complex
7% Low Income Group
Middle Income
10% Group
High Income
Group
14%
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities Source: Report of the Sub-group on Petrochemicals for the 12th Five Year Plan, 2012
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4. Percentage of quantities
in the waste at Gorai (Landfill in Mumbai)
Compostable Matter
9%
33%
6%
7% Plastic
5%
7% Paper
Miscellaneous
(Sand, Silt, Debris etc.) Metal / Glass 8%
52% 2%
10%
Source: NEERI (National Environmental Engineering & Research Institute,
Nagpur, Maharashtra) Report on composition of MSW in Mumbai landfill in 2005
14%
Moreover, over 95% of plastics are collected from landfills for recycling
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 4

5. Characterisation of Total Waste
Plastics,
6.9%
Non-Plastics, 9%
4.3%
345 kg (6.6%) for Recycling
6%
Dry Waste,
11.2%
7%
10%
7%
Less than 5 % of plastics remain in the landfills
- Study in Deonar Dumping 14% in Mumbai
Area
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 5

6. Plastic Waste Management at a Glance
Per Day
Plastic Waste Generation 15342 MT
Plastic waste Generation per capita 13 gm
Plastic Waste Collection (Estimated: 60% of consumption) 9205 MT
Uncollected Plastic Waste (Estimated: 40% by weight) 6137 MT
Municipal solid waste generation as per CPCB study on MSW
50592 MT
generation in 60 major cities (2010-11)
Plastic waste generation as per CPCB study on MSW generation in
3501 MT
60 major cities (2010-11)
Source: Central Pollution Control Board ‘Material on Plastic Waste Management’ June 2012
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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7. Average annual volume of plastics recycled 3.6 MMT
Number of Organized Recycling Units 3500
Number of Unorganized Recycling Units >10,000
Manpower directly involved in Plastics Recycling ~6,00,000
Manpower indirectly involved in Plastics Recycling ~10,00,000
Estimated Investment in Plant & Machinery US$ 30 million
PE, PP, PVC, PET, PS, ABS,
Plastics Recycled
PMMA, PBT, SAN and Nylon
~ 40% of plastics consumed are recycled.
One of the highest recycling rates in the world
Source: Report of the Sub-group on Petrochemicals for the 12th Five Year Plan, 2012
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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8. • Improper waste management causes
o Soil Pollution
o Air Pollution
o Water Pollution
• MSW clogs drains, creating
o Stagnant water for insect breeding and
o Floods during rainy seasons
• Greenhouse gases are generated from the decomposition of organic wastes in
landfills
• Insect and rodent vectors are attracted to the waste and can spread diseases
such as cholera and dengue fever
• Some Health Problems linked to improper waste management are
infections, allergies, breathing problems and even cardiovascular risk
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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9. Flow Diagram for Recycling of Consumer Waste
Consumer Waste
Household Waste Hotel/Hospital Waste Street Waste Dump yard
Scrap Dealers Rag pickers
Scrap wholesalers
Grinding, Cleaning
Recyclers Sorting & Cleaning , Drying
Sold to processors/Product Granulation & Lump Formation
conversion to end Packaging & Grinding
Clearly delineated roles and functions in an efficient multi-stage process
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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10. Flow Diagram for Recycling of Industrial Waste
Industrial Waste
End Users Street Waste
Scrap Dealers Scrap Pickers
Scrap Wholesalers
Grinding,
Recycler Sorting & Cleaning Cleaning, Drying
Sold to Processors / Granulation & Lump Formation &
Product Conversion to End Packaging Grinding
Efficient value addition process governed by market dynamics
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 10

11. Plastic Waste
Landfill
Material Recovery Energy Recovery
Mechanical Feedstock Biological Heat & Power
Cement Kiln
Recycling Recycling Recycling Generation
Conversion to Monomer
Conversion to Fuel Reducing
Agent in Blast Furnace
Gasification
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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12. • Encouraging Re-use of plastics
• Segregation at source – awareness among citizens against littering
• Proper system for collection of segregated wastes for facilitating recycling
• Incentives / encouragement for recycling
• Upgradation of the existing mechanical recycling technology
• Encouragement for alternate methods of recycling / recovery of energy
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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13. Plastic Waste Source of Waste Application of Recycled Material
Soft drink and mineral water Multi-layer soft drink bottles, carpet
PET
bottles fibres, fleece jackets
Waste bins, detergent bottles, crates,
Milk crates, bottles for
agricultural pipes, Plastic lumber,
HDPE shampoo and cleaners
Plant pots, Traffic cones, Toys,
milk and cream bottles
Outdoor furniture
Clear cordial and juice bottles,
Detergent bottles, tiles, plumbing pipe
Rigid PVC plumbing pipes and
fittings.
fittings
Drinking straws, ice-cream
PP containers hinged lunch Composite bins, crates
boxes
Yoghurt containers, plastic Coat hangers, office accessories rulers,
PS
cutlery video/CD boxes
Source: Report of the Sub-group on Petrochemicals for the 12th Five Year Plan, 2012
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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14. Milk Packaging in India
Unit
Annual Milk Production (2012
MMT 127
projection by FAO)
Milk Packaged (15% of annual
MMT 19.1
production) Milk pouches
Milk Packaged in Pouches (94% of discarded by
MMT 17.9
packaged milk) households 
million collected by rag-
Daily Milk sales 3.4
litres pickers 
Daily pouch requirement (potential million recycled &
6.9 converted to
in 100% packaged sale scenario) nos.
barsati films by
Source: FAO, IBEF; Ministry of Food Processing, Govt. of India; Report of the
Sub-group on Petrochemicals for the 12th Five Year Plan, 2012;
recyclers
http://www.businesscoot.com;
Milk increasingly being sold in packaged form, polymer consumption in sector
likely to rise manifold from current 0.7 MMT  more recycling
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 14

15. Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 15

16. Plastic Battery Boxes Recycled into Affordable Luggage
Plastic Battery Boxes Recycled into Affordable Luggage
Old plastic battery Plastic Dana generated Dana processed to produce
boxes recycled from discarded boxes luggage components
Aluminum channel Aluminum channel Nails being inserted
fitment mounted
Injection Moulding Machine
Casing trimmer Casing produced
Processing Dana
Recycled luggage ready Products after assembly Accessories mounted
FOR SALE and testing on the luggage boxes
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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17. PLASTICS ARE RECYCLABLE
PET BOTTLES are recycled to create
a wide array of utility products
PET bottle waste Recycled plastic granules
Plastic Sacks
Niwar Patti
Fiber filling for pillows Rugged floor carpets
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities Toys for children Filling for mattresses
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18. • Co-processing in cement kilns / energy recovery
• Conversion to fuel
• Construction of asphalt road
• Conversion to basic chemical
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities 18

19. Invention by Indian Scientist
Dr. Alka Zadgaonkar
Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur
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20. ACC Plant at Kymore - MP
Calorific Values (MJ / KG) : Plastics ~ 45
: Coal ~ 29
All types of plastics waste – laminated, mixed and uncleaned, can be
co-processed in cement kiln in partial replacement of coal
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21. • Plastic Waste allowed to be utilized in road construction in 5 states
o Tamil Nadu
o Karnataka
o Maharashtra
o Puducherry
o Himachal Pradesh
Prof. V S Aghase Road Dadar, Mumbai
• Plastic Waste allowed to be co-processed in cement kilns in 4 states
o Madhya Pradesh
o Tamil Nadu
o Orissa
o Andhra Pradesh
Indian plastic industry trying to expand the no. of applications for recycled material
Waste Management: Threats and Opportunities
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22. Thank you
Country Report: Plastics Industry in India- Issues and Challenges
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