Case Study of the Day: Chembilode Model for Plastic Recycling

Background: The Chembilode Village panchayat in Kannur district of Kerala has received national recognition for its plastic recycling Mission.

About the Plastic Recycling Model

Assessing the importance of Plastic waste Management, the Panchayat in order to address the issue of increasing plastic waste, arrived at a consensus with District Administration with following objectives:
- To formulate the project for plastic waste recycling
- To identify the collection points and methods of plastic waste collection
- To mobilize funds for project implementation
- To identify location and space for project implementation
- To provide infrastructural facilities
- To identify volunteers and staff necessary for running the project
The plant was decided to be established in the Mini Industrial Park of Chembilode Gram Panchayat, with an area of one acre of land in 2010.
- Presently, the plant has the capacity to recycle 300 kgs of plastic per day.
- Neighbouring Gram Panchayats are also collecting the plastic from their premises and bringing it to the Chembilode plant.
Challenges faced by Gram Panchayat:
- Increasing heaps of waste associated with the trends of urbanization
- Difficulties in establishing effective linkages
- Community awareness generation
- Finding a cost-effective technology
- Questions regarding the sustainability of the projects
Major lessons from this success story, which other Gram Panchayats could seek inspiration include:
- Gram Panchayat with its power and authority can contribute towards solving such predominant issues.
- Effective inter-institutional linkages can prove effective.
- Such projects would ensure community involvement, togetherness, social capital and cultural harmony.
- Such initiatives will revitalize the natural resources.
- Such models could result in the creation of community management structures and sustainable community ownerships.
Thus, the project represents an effective model which could be replicated elsewhere in the Country, which is trying hard to overcome the issues of plastic management.