Workshop on Plastic Packaging Waste Management

A multi stakeholder Plastic Packaging Waste Management Workshop was organized by Indian Plastics Institute (IPI) at Bangalore with the support of Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE) on 27th & 28th July 2009. This was the first time that an Industry sponsored event was co-created by working together with full fledged involvement of NGO’s. The first time a group of about 100 people from various stakeholder groups- resident welfare organizations, staff from Bangalore municipal corporation, NGOs experienced in collection and recycling of plastics & packaging waste, consumer goods manufacturers, packaging and plastic bag producers, recyclers, students from design schools and seniors of three Indian Plastics Institutions were in the same room meeting as peers and thinking together to solve Bangalore’s problems with plastics waste and litter. The participants came up with actions and projects, and together selected those that got most amount of democratic votes and hence ownership. This Workshop created considerable openness and free exchange of views from each and every delegate present at the meet. This was a non-traditional workshop with more of interacting and listening to each participant than usual lecturing and presentation. This novel workshop generated tremendous interest amongst the participants and helped to ponder over the solutions to tackle Plastic Waste Management challenges. This Workshop was conducted by Husband-Wife team from USA led by Dr. Brain Coleman and Dr. Seetha Coleman–Kammula of Simply Sustain, LLC, USA. They were the driving force behind this innovative exercise of solutions to civic problem by collaboration, new to Bangalore citizens. During the Workshop participants came out with notable suggestions in managing the Plastic Packaging Waste. Some of their suggestions are reproduced below which are worth considering and implementing in some of the metros in India. * Create Public Awareness by organized Education and Campaign. * Create Awareness through Website Campaign. * Introduce Waste Management as subject in Educational System. * Develop Network with all Stakeholders and Municipality. * Create more Collection Centre. * Liaison with NGO’s & Recyclers. * Prepare Policy Guidelines for Waste Management. By far the most significant out come is the formation of cross sector team to lead the implementation of these ideas. This team is highly motivated to achieve the vision of zero waste at Bangalore. The members are : Dr.Meenakshi Bharath – Citizens Group Head, Ms.Wilma Rodriguez Head of NGO Sahaas, Ms.Hemalatha of BBMP (Municipality), Mr. Dasgupta of Unilever, Mr.Hariram Thakkar of IPI Bangalore Chapter and Mr.Chandramohan of Karnataka Plastics Association. IPI has agreed to closely follow up the groups’ action plans and offer assistance and guidance both from its professional members and ICPE and Dr.Brian Coleman & Dr.Seetha Coleman Kammula have agreed to guide the group whenever required to help to create a new sustainable working model that makes a change to Bangalore city solid waste disposal & recycling challenges. This Workshop was an eye-opener to Bangalore citizens on Waste Management. We at IPI are seriously contemplating to organize such type of Workshop in other Metros for enlighting the masses on Ways and Means to dispose of Solid Waste and to face modern day Recycling Challenges. This innovative workshop was sponsored by Reliance Industries & Plastindia Foundation.