Used plastic processing turns a profitable venture

Used plastic item business, ensuring pollution-free environment and more employment, in becoming a popular venture in Bagerhat.

They buy wastage bottles for Tk 20 per kg from plastic collectors and sell them to the plastic cutting mills for Tk 25 per kg, said trader Shahin Sheikh, owner of a wastage plastic warehouse in Badal area of Kachua upazila.

The hawkers mainly go from village to village and collect plastic bottles, buckets and other items from homes and shops for the traders, he said.

They also buy used bucket, rack and other plastic items for Tk 35 per kg from the hawkers and sell them to the mills at Tk 40, he said, adding that he can sell at least 80 maunds of plastic wastages in a month.

The mills make plastic chips which are being exported to China, Korea, Vietnam and India, said Shahin.

Many people of Fakirhat and Sadar upazilas are coming forward to do the business like him as it is a profitable venture, but due to lack of capital, they cannot expand their business, he added.

Many traders have set up plastic cutting mills in Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Khuna. If he had got loan from the bank, he could have installed a mill, said Shahin.

Mohammad Sharif, owner of a plastic cutting mill of Karapar in Sadar upazila, said after collecting wastage plastic bottles and buckets, they turned those into plastic  chips and then sold them to the buyers of  Jashore , Khulna  and Chattogram. Most of their plastic chips go to India and other countries. 

Haripada, a hawker of a wastage plastic warehouse in Morelganj, said earlier, he had to go to the sea for fishing taking the risk of life. But, he is now happy as he now earns Tk 9,000 by collecting used plastic items every month.

Assistant Director of Department of Environment in Bagerhat Amdadul Haq said collecting plastic bottle is undoubtedly useful for the environment.   A plastic bottle can survive up to 400 years.

Deputy Manager of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Bagerhat Krisna Pada Mallick said they are not getting any loan facility from the head office. The small loan that they can distribute is Tk 20,000 to Tk 50,000 only. They are trying to help the traders, he said.