Dr. R Vasudevan, Thiagarajar College of Engineering

IndianCentre for Plastic in the Environment (ICPE) recently conducted an International Seminar on Plastics Recycling & Waste Management in Mumbai. The Keynote Speaker - Vipul Shah, COO, Petrochemicals, Reliance Industries emphasised on the importance of segregation of wet & dry waste. Further he mentioned, that waste that is out of sight is out of mind for the common people and often they forget about it once it is garbage is been picked up. "This not in my backyard attitude has to change," he mentioned.

In a technical session, Edward Kosior, MD, Nextek Ltd; Pdama Shri Dr. R Vasudevan, Thiagarajar College of Engineering; A. P. Singhal, Executive Director, JB Ecotex LLP and Ulhas Ex-Dy Head, Geo-Cycle India, ACC Cement presented their Innovative ideas for plastic recycling. Ashok Goel, Chairman & Managing Director, Essel Propack chaired this session.

Sandeep Patel, MD, NEPRA Ahmedabad; Thomas Berlingen, EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen BmbH; Milind Chavan & Shashibhushan Mishra from Dow Chemical Company presented Successful Models of Plastic Waste Management. This session was chaired by Dr. Amiya Kumar Sahu, President, NSWAI.

While the third technical session revolved around Ideas on Closing the Loop in Plastics Waste Management. Ravi Jashnani, President, Maharashtra Plastics Manufacturers'Association; Rahul Podar, Partner, Shakti Plastics Industries and Vidya Amarnath, Director, Paterson Energy Ltd presented their views and technologies. S. B. Dangayach, Founder Trustee, Innovative Thought Forum (Ex-MD Sintex Ltd) chaired the session.

P. Raghavendra Rao, IAS, Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India participated in the conference program to put his thoughts forward in front of the industry. While speaking he mentioned that the Government is looking forward to work with the industry and find a holistic solution to the problem of waste management.

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