16 SSIs eye green plastics tech

Plastics recycling units, mostly small and tiny enterprises facing closure owing to new pollution norms, appear to have discovered a way to survive thanks to new technology developed by Jadavpur University and backed by banks and concerned government departments.

The Central Board for Workers Education (CBWE) of the central ministry of labour and employment has associated itself with the Centre for Quality Management System (CQMS) of Jadavpur University (JU) to help the units survive.

Banks like UCO Bank, United Bank of India and Oriental Bank of Commerce have been roped in to provide financial support to entrepreneurs.

National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Small Industries Development Bank Ltd. and WB Small Industries Development Corporation Ltd (WBSIDC) were associated with the programme to help small units survive. The market was large enough for 75 small scale units in different districts.

Sadhan Ghosh of CQMS said CBWE was the first government organisation to support the movement.

CQMS has already held two workshops for plastic recycling unit owners and one for labour leaders, with more than 200 entrepreneurs attending.

"More than 20 queries have been generated and 16 entrepreneurs would be submitting applications very soon to banks for loans to commercialise the new technology", said sources.

Suresh Agarwal, president of Federation of Indian Plastics Recycling Industries(FIPRI), said entrepreneurs have been advised by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) to adopt the CQMS technology as it reduced pollution.

Ghosh said plastic recycling units had to cut pollution or face closure.

Around 25 enquiries were originally generated.

The technology has been showcased to around 90 potential entrepreneurs.

The machine developed at CQMS are available in three processing capacities averaging 500 kg, 1,000 kg and 2,500 kg per day, that would require an investment of around Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7 lakh, depending on the capacity.

CQMS has identified three local manufacturers for making the machine using the technology for commercial use.