Ooty : With focus on eliminating plastics, this tourist town, Queen of Hill Station in Tamil Nadu Monday received five Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) to collect and recycle PET bottle, which is the highest recycled plastic type in India.

Speaking at the inauguration of the machines at Central Bus Stand here, the district collector, J. Innocent Divya said that the current linear economic approach of ‘take-make-dispose (litter)’ is proving to be inefficient and adversely affecting the environmental health of India.

The aim is to ensure the collection and recycling of every last plastic bottle consumed in Udhgamandalam (Ooty), be it a water/juice/oil/personal care/home care product. Increased awareness about plastic recycling amongst the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators will also help to tap a new revenue stream and generate new job opportunities for our nation, she said.

The depositor will be rewarded a cashback PayTM coupon for every plastic bottle deposited and the machines can shred and store up to 1,500 plastic bottles, which will later be transported to the re-cyclers based in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The recyclers will turn these bottles into flakes/granules to prepare textile thread to produce T-shirts, athletic shoes, luggage, upholstery and sweaters; fiberfill for sleeping bags and winter coats; industrial strapping, sheet and film; automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners, fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles, door panels etc.

The initiative will further reduce the plastic waste from the picturesque hills of Nilgiris, which already banned use of single use plastics long ago, she said.

To address the issue of environmental degradation, it is crucial to make the citizens aware about proper disposal and recycling of plastic waste In our current practices, we litter highly recyclable plastic packaging materials like PET bottles post usage, which can be traded since it attracts a high recycling value. Biocrux CEO, the manufacturers of RVM Ajay Mishra said.

A person can earn between Rs.25 to Rs 35 per Kg of PET bottles he said.