Uttarakhand sets up plant to convert plastic waste into diesel

Dehradun, August 28: A plastic waste-to-diesel plant built in the campus of Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) was inaugurated by Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday. This is the fourth facility in the world of its kind where many types of chemicals will be produced from waste plastic. Scientists say this plant can be an answer to the plastic problem in the environment and diesel produced here will be for both industrial and vehicular use.

 

"By producing diesel out of plastic waste on a large scale, the plant is not just a good step towards freedom from plastic but will also reduce our dependence on other countries for petroleum products," Harsh Vardhan said after inaugurating the plant in the presence of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

 

The plant took ten years to build after arduous research into the field by the scientists of IIP. It has a capacity of one ton and can produce 800 liters of diesel. Last year, IIP scientists made a biofuel which powered an airplane from Dehradun to Delhi. Harshvardhan said that now such plant will also be installed in other states of the country.

Terming it a big achievement, Rawat said apart from protecting the environment, the plant will also boost the economic growth of the region.