Over nine tonnes of plastic waste removed from Vellingiri hills

Over nine tonnes of plastic waste, including that collected directly from pilgrims, has been removed from the Vellingiri Hills during the ongoing pilgrimage season.

The waste was collected jointly by the Forest staff, volunteers from NGO Velliangiri Malai Pathukappu Amaippu and a team from Recompose Recycling Private Limited over 64 days.

According to the Forest Department, its staff collect plastic items such as packaged drinking water bottles and polythene bags from pilgrims at the Vellingiri foothills before they are allowed to trek. Only necessary plastic items are allowed to be carried by the devotees. An amount of ₹20 is collected for each of these plastic items, and a sticker is stuck on them. When these plastic items are returned, the ₹20 per item is refunded.

The NGO volunteers were engaged in removing plastic waste along the trekking route.

C. Prashanth, one of the founders of Recompose Recycling, said 9,110 kg of plastic waste was collected in total. The plastic items that could not be recycled due to soil accumulation were sent to cement factories after converting them into refuse-derived fuel.

Multi-layer plastics (MLP) like biscuit covers, chocolate wrappers and shampoo sachets are turned into value-added products. “These types of plastics are turned into chairs, tables, benches and other items, and are given to the Forest Department itself. None of the recovered plastics are dumped,” said Mr. Prashanth.