In a bid to promote sanitation with sustainability by making optimal use of various types of waste, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated three new reduce, recycle, reuse (RRR) kiosks on Monday. These kiosks offer a range of artefacts and decorative items crafted from waste materials, along with donated used clothes.
Expansion of RRR Centers
BMC officials confirmed that a total of six RRR centres are now operational in the city, including the three that commenced operations on Monday. Each zone has been provided with a dedicated vehicle for transporting goods to these centres.
Collection of Reusable Items
Items such as toys, clothes, pants, shirts, books, slippers, furniture, televisions, fans, stainless steel utensils, and other household items that can be reused are being collected at these centres. The initiative operates under the slogan ‘give if you have, take if you don’t,’ encouraging people to voluntarily bring their unused items to the RRR centres.
Deputy Commissioner N Ganesh Babu stated, “People are voluntarily bringing their unused items to BMC’s RRR centres. As a result, those items are being recycled through various methods, made reusable, and distributed to those who lack them.”
Waste Collection and Processing
In addition to collecting reusable household items, waste for the RRR units is gathered from different micro composting centres and material recovery facilities. A private party is responsible for segregating the waste and transporting it to the three RRR units. At these units, clothes that are fit for reuse are washed, and if stitching is required, they are repaired.
Awareness and Segregation
BMC officials have decided to generate awareness among residents in apartments and other localities to maintain separate bins for storing used and rejected apparel, shoes, and other items. This will facilitate easier collection when waste-collecting vehicles arrive, thereby streamlining the process for the RRR units.
