Kolkata: In a groundbreaking initiative to tackle plastic pollution, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) has announced a pilot programme offering cash incentives for plastic waste. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the Indian Plastic Federation (IPF) and Magpet Polymers, will involve the installation of category-wise plastic compactors and SmartBins at designated collection centres, announced Rajesh Kumar, principal secretary, environment, at the Bengal Plastic Recycling Conference.
“We are optimistic about the success of this pilot project. Once it proves effective, we plan to replicate it across the entire state,” said Kumar. The initiative is a step forward in West Bengal’s commitment to reducing plastic waste and promoting recycling, he said adding after Howrah’s pilot-run, there will be a mega launching of the project in Kolkata with multiple collection, segregation, and compacting units.
The programme aims to encourage citizens to actively participate in responsible waste management by exchanging their discarded plastic for cash. The waste will then be handed over to recyclers. “The initiative is designed to return discarded polymers to the recycling chain and will focus on district-level collection initially, with plans to expand statewide if successful,” said Indraneel Goho, president and CEO of Magpet Polymers. “We are distributing 300 giant bins to collect plastic wastes from hotels, hospitals, and academic institutions,” Goho added.