India’s Dalmia Cement has met with Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board to discuss how it can use the state’s waste in the cement production process, after the Union Government has directed all cement companies to reduce coal consumption, according to the Shillong Times.

“They are requesting if we can get them the waste, especially plastic, wood chips and rubber crumbs and the calorific value of the plastic is very high, around 8000 and it helps in the heating process of cement,” said WR Kharkrang, environmental engineer, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.

However, the producer requires clean plastics and it will take at least a year to collect all of the material. “It will go a long way in taking out the plastic menace which we have now,” said Mr Kharkrang.