Schools in Mokokchung pledge to bank Multi-Layer Plastics

October 12, 2023 45 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Mokokchung | October 12

A sensitisation workshop on the management of Multi-Layer Plastics (MLP) and Single Use Plastics (SUP) was held at DC Conference Hall, Mokokchung on October 11.

Making the event significant, a total of 20 schools in Mokokchung pledged to collect and bank the MLP, and once it is filled, the MLP waste will be sent to Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC), and MMC will send it to Dimapur. From there, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) will send the collected waste to Dalmia Cement Factory.

The main concept of holding the workshop was to create awareness on disposing of waste sustainably. The 20 schools resolved to deposit the MLPs on November 3, 2023. Clean Mokokchung Campaign will act as a facilitator for the schools, and the Earth Alliance will act as the mediator between Dalmia Cement Factory and the Dimapur Municipal Council.

Thangi Mannen, Founder, Earth Alliance, in her introduction to the workshop said that dumping sites are becoming a major issue with the sites getting filled up each year. She said that the Earth Alliance is targeting schoolchildren because they have a vital role to play. She asserted that a small act of responsibility towards the environment that they do today will secure them a healthy environment tomorrow.

Rishi Aggarwal, Founder, Mumbai Sustainable Center, shared in the technical session of the Safai Bank of India, stating that the Safai Bank of India initiatives aim to encourage schools to introduce the Safia Bank of India. Mumbai Sustainable Center functions under the slogan- “Don’t bin it, bank it.”

“Every family has one plastic wrapper opened a day, and that makes 365 plastics per year from one family,” he said.

He added that behaviour change and conscious consumption are ways to show gratitude to the planet. He also informed that they had collected almost one crore wrappers while running the programme for six years.

Aggarwal explained that “crude oil” is used for plastic making so once the wrappers are collected, energy recovery is done and it becomes a fuel in cement manufacture as it gives the same amount of heat that comes from coal.

Abeinuo, EAC, Mokokchung, while speaking on the partnership with MMC, highlighted that the average per capita waste collected is around 670 grams. “We do not make efforts or take the initiative to dispose of waste sustainably,” she expressed regret.

The workshop was organised by Urban Development in collaboration with schools and initiated by Earth Alliance Founder, Thangi Mannen.