CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is working on a plan to purchase back plastic products and set up Reverse Vending machines in collaboration with FMCG firms.

On Thursday, the Chief Minister launched a campaign to make Tamil Nadu plastic-free and to promote large-scale use of cloth bags. The government is also in talks with a big corporation to build 1,000 non-recyclable plastic waste toilets across the state.

The government is planning a strategy to increase Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for manufacturers in order to alleviate the stress caused by the usage of plastic in the environment.  The Chief Minister's office has already mandated that all district administrations meet with enterprises in their respective districts to develop strategies for plastics buy-back schemes and for usage of this material in the building industry.

According to sources in the Tamil Nadu environment department, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) is in negotiations with the Tiruvallur district administration about using plastic waste for construction materials.

The company has previously adopted eight villages in and around Nemam, where the HCCB factory is located, as part of its CSR project, and has received authorisation to construct a model toilet in Nemam, in the Tiruvallur district.

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