Plant to convert plastic waste into fuel gets thumbs down from VMC

It was more than three years ago that GSFC had approached the VMC to develop the project, which was expected to change the face of waste disposal management system.

Sources, however, revealed that the companies, which were involved in the project, could not convince top VMC officials and the project was eventually shelved.

Senior officials who were present during the discussions on the project informed that GSFC wanted to get involved in the project as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Shailesh Nayak, who works in VMC8217;s Solid Waste Management Department, said that not a single municipal corporation in the entire country has been able to convert waste into fuel.

8220;It is true that such a proposal had come to us and discussions had also taken place. It was some Japanese technology and the company was apparently from Australia. But the viability of the project was almost negligible and it required a huge investment before we actually get the end result,8221; Nayak said.

According to the project information, the plastic waste was to be segregated and the assortment was to be done at the plant site for scientific process. After the process, the VMC was to get hydrocarbon fuel as the end product.

8220;We were even told that the yield of hydrocarbon would be only a little less than the input of plastic waste. So much so that all the VMC-owned vehicles were to run on this fuel. But we were quite unsure about the entire project,8221; said an official.

VMC still showed interest in the project and sent some plastic samples to Australia for the scientific process to know the percentage of the yield.

8220;However, the results were not really impressive and the project was finally shelved, the official added.