Thiruvananthapuram: City corporation’s dry waste collection drive for plastic carry bags, plastic bottles, old sandals and bags evoked great response in various counters here on Wednesday. Corporation collected eight tonnes of plastic waste, sixteen tonnes of sandals, 17 tonnes of bags and 34 tonnes of glass waste.The civic body ran eight special collection counters for plastic waste, glass waste, old sandals and bags. Counters were opened at Vanchiyur Junction, Chackai YMA, Pippinmoodu Junction, near Kazhakkootam ward committee office, near Sreekaryam petrol pump, near Kadakampally health inspector office, near Pappanamcode engineering college and Putharikandam ground.This was the second collection drive conducted by corporation based on revenue generation model. The council meeting held in 2018 had approved the rates processed by the health committee. The corporation had proposed a revenue generation model for dry waste collection owing to high financial cost being involved in the project.As per the agreed rates, corporation would collect Rs 820 per tonne for collection and transportation of glass waste. The civic body will be able to earn rates for six types of waste as well ranging between 50 paise to Rs 4 per kg for segregated dry waste, coconut shell, husk, fire wood, e-waste and hard plastic.The corporation will have to pay Rs 3.5 per kg for transporting plastic waste and Rs 6 per kg for transporting hazardous waste. Officials with the health wing estimate that collection and transportation of plastic waste through resource recovery centres (RRC) accounts for 20-30% of the actual cost being incurred for disposal of dry waste from households in the city.The collection statistics of special drives conducted by city corporation for two years show that between January 2016 and January 2018, corporation collected and transported 283.6 tonnes of plastic waste from various households in the city.

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