Fertilizer Association of India to educate farmers, dealers on recycling packing materials

The Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) is planning to educate farmers and dealers on the need to recycle multi-use plastic that are used in packing fertiliser, according to a top executive of a fertiliser company.

Informing presspersons about the plans of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF) Ltd on plastic waste management in Mangaluru on Friday, Prabhakar Rao, Director of MCF, said that a bag used for packing fertiliser is made up of HDPE (high-density polyethylene), LDPE (low-density polyethylene) and polypropylene.

The FAI had asked Gem Enviro Management Pvt Ltd to make a study of these bags. Following this, the Gem Enviro had approached the farmers and dealers in seven districts for a study on the usage and life-cycle of these bags.

Stating that the packing material is not a single-use plastic, he said the farmer makes multiple use of this material. Recyclers make use of this plastic after they get it from farmers, he said.

Gem Enviro has submitted its study report to FAI which will submit it to the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, he said.

FAI has plans to educate fertiliser dealers and farmers on the need to hand over such bags to the recyclers after making full use of them, Rao said.

Plastic waste management
MCF has prepared a three-phase action plan, he said. In the first phase, the company is conducting awareness programmes on plastic waste management in educational institutions up to October 1.

In the second phase, a shram-daan will be conducted in Mangaluru on October 2 for collecting plastic waste. Employees of the company and students will take part in this event.

In the third phase, the company will coordinate with the local recyclers for recycling the plastic waste. Local bodies and organisations such as Karnataka Pollution Control Board and the Central Institute for Plastic Engineering and Technology will be part of this phase ranging from October 3 to 22.

Apart from this, the company’s marketing network will educate dealers and farmers on the need to recycle the multi-use packing materials. Plastic waste management will be a continuous campaign for the company, he added.