Jammu Kashmir is making significant progress in addressing plastic pollution with 32 operational Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) actively processing and recycling waste across the region.
In the fiscal year 2023-24, these facilities helped recycle 52.82% of the total plastic waste generated, amounting to 77.2 metric tons (MT) of the 146.14 MT produced.
This marks an improvement from the 49.95% recycled in the previous year, when 61.94 MT of the 124.48 MT plastic waste was processed.
The rise in recycling comes as the region faces an increasing plastic waste problem, driven by rising consumption.
The MRFs are crucial in the collection, segregation, and channelization of plastic waste for recycling, forming part of a comprehensive strategy by the Jammu Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) to combat pollution.
In its report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the JKPCC highlighted several initiatives, including awareness campaigns, the registration of plastic pickers, and stringent measures to phase out non-recyclable plastics like single-use plastics (SUPs) and plastic bags below 120 microns.
As part of these efforts, around 10,000 cloth bags were distributed in various districts through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs to offer alternatives to plastic carry bags.
Additionally, authorities have imposed fines on violators of plastic regulations, collecting Rs 28.81 lakh in fines during 2023-24 for the sale and use of banned SUPs, compared to Rs 42.40 lakh in the previous year.
Seizures of single-use plastic products also dropped, with 19.33 MT of SUP seized this year, a significant reduction from 40.67 MT in 2022-23.
Efforts to curb the production of harmful plastic items have intensified, with a ban on the use of disposable single-use plastic water bottles and regulations to prevent the manufacturing and sale of plastic products thinner than 120 microns.
The JKPCC confirmed that no single-use plastic manufacturing units are currently operational in Jammu Kashmir.
“These combined efforts reflect a proactive approach to managing plastic waste and reducing pollution, with the operational MRFs playing a central role in the region’s waste management strategy,” the JKPCC informed the NGT.
Jammu Kashmir remains committed to enhancing its recycling capabilities and promoting sustainable alternatives to plastic in the years to come.
With these ongoing measures, Jammu Kashmir aims to set a target of recycling even more waste in the future, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable environment for its citizens.