Despite the nationwide ban on single-use plastic items, biodegradable materials seem ubiquitous, especially in tourist spots. If not single-use items, the plastic waste keeps accumulating through plastic packaging and wrappers used for dairy products, chips, biscuits, and such. Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla has found a somewhat unique way to tackle the problem in the hill station by encouraging residents to submit clean plastic waste in exchange for money. Residents can receive Rs. 75 for every kilogram of plastic wrappers and packets.
The idea is to rid the town of plastic pollution and inspire people to maintain cleanliness in their surrounding areas. The initiative by the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) will include the purchasing of wrappers and packets of edible items including chips, curd, ice cream, milk, and so on from residents.
Although using a monetary incentive may seem flawed, the people are required to clean and dry the plastic waste before submitting it to the corporation. To make the collection system easier, the civic body has created centers in the junior engineer offices. Residents can collect the plastic waste, clean and dry it and submit it every Saturday.
The system seems pretty smooth and straightforward, but if someone has collected the garbage but cannot go to the centers to submit the waste, they can hand it over to the garbage collectors, in which case Rs. 25 out of Rs. 75 will go to the garbage collectors.
Image: The Tribune
Shimla Municipal Corporation Chief Health Officer Chetan Chauhan told The Tribune that this decision was taken in a meeting of the Municipal Corporation. He also said that with this initiative, the civic body aims to reduce plastic waste and discourage people from littering in the open. It is expected to improve the health of the environment and maintain cleanliness in the town.
To put things into motion, Shimla Municipal Corporation Mayor Surender Chauhan conducted a cleanliness and tree plantation drive in Brockhurst area of Chhota Shimla ward, which also included other MC officials and school students.
While the initiative does sound good and may encourage people to proper garbage disposal, especially plastic waste, the validity and success of the endeavor remains to be seen.