Include sanitary waste in DRS, ban single-use plastic: Managers | Goa News

Panaji: Stating that the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) will not resolve Goa’s plastic waste problem, the Waste Management Association Goa (WMAG) demanded that govt first ban single use plastic in the state.“Waste on the street is not being included in the DRS programme. They should include nappies and sanitary pads, which have no recycle value and which cost Rs 25 per kg to dispose of,” said founder of VRecycle Clinton Vaz.The WMAG also said that instead of targeting glass bottles and PET, govt should focus on multi-layered plastic and sanitary waste. “The DRS will not solve Goa’s problem of plastic, but it will complicate matters, and that is why we are asking govt to defer it by 3-6 months,” said Vaz.The association, which has around 25 different firms that handle various types of recyclable and non-recyclable waste in the state, said that the unplanned rollout of the DRS scheme in April will disrupt the current waste collection systems in Margao, Mapusa, and other civic areas.A study conducted by WMAG in Feb at 10 spots found that in the first phase of the DRS rollout, less than 5% of the roadside will be addressed. The study found that nearly half of the waste strewn along highways and village roads consists of multi-layered plastic, food waste, sanitary pads, nappies, and cloth.The association said that DRS will create a monopoly over recyclables and increase the cost of waste management for residents who already segregate waste and pay garbage taxes.WMAG said that, to safeguard the livelihood of the thousands of workers involved in waste management, govt should share a percentage of the scrap value with the various agencies that collect the different types of garbage.