[December Thematic Report] Recycling in Madagascarby Barisoa Nancy Andriamiarimbola | 06-12-2022 09:24 |
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Be the change you want to see in the world: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycling preserves part of the planet's resources and also reduces the pollution of processed waste. In addition, tons of waste are thrown away in the nature which are toxic for the environment. Plastic contains toxic pollutants that damage the environment and cause soil, water and air pollution. But the durable nature of plastic also means that it is very difficult to degrade in landfills and even more so in nature. In landfills, it can take up to 100 years for this material to decompose. Kopakelatra, for a healthier and cleaner environment  More than 8,000 plastic bottles collected thanks to the Kopakelatra project during the World clean up day 2021. Source : https://2424.mg/environnement-plus-de-8-000-bouteilles-en-plastique-collectees-grace-au-projet-kopakelatra-lors-du-world-clean-up-day-2021/ Kopakelatra project was developed and implemented in Madagascar by STAR to collect used plastic bottles in a dedicated bin installed in strategic points. Indeed, environmental protection is one of the main pillars of STAR's CSR policy. All plastic bottles, without distinction of brand, can be deposited there. The collected bottles will be processed, crushed and recycled to make new items. We can see that it was a success because more than 8,000 plastic bottles collected. A website has been specially dedicated to the project, in order to make the public aware of the objectives, the process and useful information about the environment: www.kopakelatra.star.mg. For more interaction, the Facebook page "Kopakelatra" allows to correspond directly with the project leaders. We have seen the importance of recycling but how does it really work? Here are the different steps of the recycling process in general: We answered why to recycle, now how to do it? There are a few steps to recycling plastic, which I will explain below. First step: The collection of plastics. Collection is the first and decisive step in the recycling process of plastic waste. This can be plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic films or plastic pots and containers. Second step: The sorting center. This is the big step of careful selection because not all plastic waste has the same components. The objective here is to group by family, the different plastics collected such as polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene or Polystyrene. Third step: Shredding and cleaning. At this stage, the plastic bales are sent to a machine where each plastic is carefully cleaned to remove all impurities. Once cleaned, the plastics are sent to large capacity shredders where they are thoroughly shredded and ground with rotating blades. Generally after this phase, we obtain flakes of different colors that will be introduced into industrial washers for a second cleaning. Fourth step: Drying. This step consists of ridding them of all this water. To do this, various techniques can be used as centrifuges are used to dry all the moisture contained in the flakes and get rid of the last impurities to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Fifth step: Homogenization. The result obtained after the drying stage is entirely plastic in its pure state. Following various very precise technical procedures, this set of plastics is sent to a silo where it is heated to a very high temperature. The heating continues until a homogeneous set is obtained in terms of color, behavior and texture, taking into account the nature of the final objects to be manufactured on the basis of the recycled plastic. Sixth step: Obtaining the pellets. The homogeneous dough from the previous step is passed through another machine called an extruder. This machine modifies the dough and produces monofilaments or threads that cool down when in contact with air and water. The cooled threads are recovered by another system that usually cuts them into small grains. The result is granules ready to be used in the manufacture of new objects. And that's it! Pellets from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used to make, for example, fleece clothing, shopping bags, furniture, beverage containers or carpets; those from high-density polyethylene can be used to make yoghurt pots, pens or construction materials; and those from vinyl (PVC) can be used to make packaging for detergents, pipes or medical equipment. Recycling is very useful. It is even one of the most climate-friendly actions that individuals can take. You now know the steps to follow and I hope you will apply it in your everyday life. If you happen to visit Madagascar one day, be sure to take these small souvenirs with you to remind you that it is important to recycle.  Madagascar recycling for souvenirs Source : hhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madagascar_recycling_for_souvenirs.jpg |
