After plastic ban, Mumbai to get 500 plastic bottle-crushing machines
To help citizens adapt to the recent plastic ban, BMC plans to install around 500 plastic bottle-crushing machines, which will be funded by corporates through CSR. The machines will be set-up in places that register higher footfall, like gardens, markets and tourist places like Gateway of India, Marine Lines, etc. Fort (BMC headquarters), Colaba and Nariman-Point will get more machines than elsewhere, BMC said.
BMC to get first bottle-crusher, private spaces excluded from scheme
BMC will install these machines, which have the capacity to crush over 50,000 bottles per day, at their headquarters for the purpose of demonstration. Officials attached to the project said private places like multiplexes, hotels, societies and restaurants are excluded from this scheme. BMC has also identified 25 spots in civic markets for collection of plastic items and for waste segregation.
Pay Rs. 2 extra to buy a mineral water bottle
On March 23, Maharashtra implemented a blanket ban on single-use plastic and thermocols, but excluded PET, PETE bottles. So now under depository buyback scheme, one has to pay Rs. 2 extra to buy a mineral water or soft drink bottle of less than 1-liter capacity.
BMC not first, WR installed these way back in 2016
BMC isn't the first government organization to install these machines. Western Railways launched a similar machine in 2016 at the Churchgate Station. The machine, roughly a refrigerator's size, was set-up on June 5 (World Environment Day). After sucking up a bottle, the 'Swachh Bharat Recycle Machine' gives three reward options: the person can make a donation, get a mobile recharge or discount coupons.
These plastic bottle-crushing machines were badly needed in Mumbai
The bottle-crushers were badly required for Mumbai. Two stats can explain why: on a daily basis, close to 55 lakh plastic bottles of 500ml or less get manufactured, and that is huge. Moreover, Maharashtra generates 4 lakh tons of plastic annually, the highest among states.
