Tiruchi Turns Plastic Waste into Cement Fuel

Tiruchi Corporation is significantly increasing its efforts to effectively dispose of non-recyclable plastic waste. This initiative aims to reduce the strain on the city's landfills, which are currently burdened by daily waste generation of 450 to 470 tonnes. Nearly 70% of this waste is segregated at the source.

Non-recyclable single-use plastics, including common items like snack packets and carry bags, are now being sent to a Dalmia Cement factory. Here, they are utilized as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in cement kilns. As of the current reporting period, around 4,000 tonnes of plastic have been diverted for this purpose since July 2024, with approximately 454 truckloads completed.

The Corporation is reinforcing waste collection by instructing sanitation workers to emphasize door-to-door collection using the four-bin segregation system. To enhance efficiency, garbage collection vehicles are now equipped with GPS tracking devices, allowing for closer monitoring of their movements and improving overall waste management operations.

Continuous source segregation has already led to a substantial decrease in plastic waste reaching the Ariyamangalam dump yard. Officials anticipate further improvements in segregation once the new Automated Material Recovery Facility (AMRF) at the dump yard becomes operational.