India will soon be able to convert its plastic wastes into high-grade petrol and diesel with the help of Dehradun-based Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP). “The plant has been set up at Dehradun and it will be operational by January next year. The plant converts plastic into gasoline, diesel or aromatics through the use of a combination of suitable catalysts. It will also produce LPG as a common by-product.
The IIP, a constituent lab of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, has for the first time in the country developed a technology to convert plastic waste into petroleum products. Such a technology is so far available only in Germany, Japan and the US while Australia and the UK are still working on it.
According to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, the facility, which will be run on pilot basis, is capable of converting plastic waste into bio-diesel. The model will then be replicated across the country. The Union Minister said that the plant has the capacity to convert one tonne of plastic waste into 800 litres biofuel which will be of highest quality and it can be used in any diesel automotive vehicle. E-waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream and India is the fourth largest e-waste producer. At present around 95 per cent of the waste is processed by the informal sector, using practices harmful to their health and the environment.
