Ludhiana MC plans to set up plant to convert floral waste into incense sticks

The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation plans to recycle floral waste and convert it into a new product. With the festival and wedding season are on, a lot of floral waste gets collected, mainly from religious sites, which is mostly biodegradable and often ends up in landfills or water bodies, causing health hazards and harming aquatic life.

This festival season, under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the MC is planning to set up a plant for converting floral waste into incense sticks. The aim is to set up a plant near the Jamalpur dump from where floral waste will be segregated and processed in the plant. Besides the flowers, coconut waste is another item that the civic body is planning to process to convert it into ropes. A separate machine will be set up for the same.

The corporation is putting efforts to make the plan work and formed a committee to oversee it. The assessment of floral waste at religious places and marriage palaces is being done so that flowers reach the processing plant. It is also planning to launch a helpline number on which people can make a call and get the floral and coconut waste lifted.

“The MC has received Rs 10 lakh fund under the Swachh Bharat Mission and we are collecting estimates of the floral waste collected at religious places and marriage palaces. Besides, a lot of coconut waste is also generated in the city and the MC is also planning to reuse the same in making ropes,” Sanjay Kanwar, Superintendent Engineer, MC.

He said the MC had contacted one person from Ujjain for the purpose who would be given a shed for carrying the work, electricity connection and floral waste. “The final product prepared will be sold by him. The future of the project depends upon the assessment of floral waste we will be able to collect on a daily basis,” Kanwar said.

He said the floral waste sector in the country was experiencing new growth. Besides reusing waste and diverting it from dumpsites, it is also helping in environmental preservation.

Social entrepreneurs are also stepping in to recycle flowers to valuable products such as organic compost, soaps, candles and incense sticks.

Meenakshi, an art and craft lover, collects floral waste from a temple near her house and use it on candles and also preserve flowers with resin art. “Now, my friends are asking me to prepare decorative pieces using fresh and dried flowers for their special occasions,” she said.

Committee formed

The MC is putting efforts to make the plan work and formed a committee to oversee it. The assessment of floral waste at religious places and marriage palaces is being done so that flowers reach the processing plant. It is also planning to launch a helpline number on which people can make a call and get the floral and coconut waste lifted.