How Materials Recovery Facilities in India Handle Soft Plastics in Daily Waste

The role of MRF in waste management in India is becoming more important as cities deal with increasing amounts of daily waste. Materials Recovery Facilities are set up to sort and process dry waste into recyclable and non-recyclable parts. Among the various materials handled, soft plastics like wrappers, carry bags, and multilayer packaging present unique challenges. These plastics are often mixed with food waste or dirt, making them hard to separate and process. Their light weight and high volume add to the difficulty, but managing them is essential for reducing pollution and saving landfill space.

What Are Soft Plastics and Why Are They a Challenge?

Soft plastics are thin, flexible materials that are often mixed in with daily household waste. They include items such as biscuit wrappers, milk pouches, plastic bags, and multilayer packaging. These materials are not easily recyclable because they get tangled in sorting machines and often carry food residues. This makes them one of the most common forms of plastic pollution in urban areas.

Collection and Sorting at MRFs

Source Segregation

Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and municipal workers encourage people to separate dry and wet waste at the household level. Proper segregation helps improve the quality of recyclable waste received at the MRF.

Manual Sorting

At the facility, trained workers manually sort dry waste into categories like hard plastics, soft plastics, metal, glass, cardboard, and textiles. Soft plastics are picked out for specialised processing.

How Soft Plastics Are Processed at MRFs

Compaction

Because soft plastics are bulky but weigh very little, they are compacted into tight bales. This saves space and makes transport more efficient.

Granulation

Compact bales are shredded into small pieces using granulators. These granules are uniform in size and easier to clean and recycle.

Washing and Drying

The granules are cleaned using washing lines to remove food, oils, and dirt. Once washed, they are dried to reduce moisture before further processing.

Where Do Soft Plastics Go After Processing?

Recycling

Clean and sorted soft plastics are sold to recyclers. These are turned into pellets and used to make new products like plastic sheets, textiles, or packaging.

Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF)

Some soft plastics that cannot be recycled are processed into fuel and sent to cement factories or power plants.

Landfill (Last Option)

If the material is too contaminated or degraded, it may be sent to landfill as a last resort.

Role of the Informal Sector

Informal waste pickers, self-help groups (SHGs), and local workers often collect and sort soft plastics before they even reach MRFs. Their role is crucial in increasing collection efficiency and reducing landfill waste.

Compliance and Reporting

MRFs are required to track the types and volumes of waste they process. Digital systems and government portals help record and report this data to ensure accountability and performance monitoring.

Common Challenges with Soft Plastics

• Contamination: Plastics mixed with food or other wet waste are harder to recycle.

• Low Awareness: Many households still do not sort waste properly.

• Infrastructure Gaps: Some areas lack the equipment needed to handle soft plastic waste effectively.

Innovations and Improvements

New sorting systems, better granulators, and improved washing equipment are being adopted in many cities. These upgrades help increase recycling efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of soft plastics.

Our Role in MRF Waste Management

At Maan Enviro Technologies, we help set up and support Materials Recovery Facilities across India. Our services include supplying waste sorting machines, granulators, shredders, compactors, and composting units tailored for Indian conditions. We work with city councils, housing societies, and industries to manage solid waste responsibly, from collection to final processing.

We also work closely with informal waste collectors and local groups to improve collection and sorting of soft plastics. Our goal is to create clean, efficient, and long-term waste management systems that serve both urban and rural areas.

Interested in setting up a facility? Read more on How can one start MRF waste management business in India to learn the basic steps, costs, and opportunities.

FAQs

Q: Can soft plastics be fully recycled in India?
A: Only clean, sorted soft plastics can be recycled. Others may be used for RDF or sent to landfills if too contaminated.

Q: Why are MRFs important in handling soft plastics?
A: MRFs allow proper sorting, cleaning, and preparing of soft plastics so they can be recycled or reused more efficiently.

Q: What can households do to help?
A: Simply sorting dry and wet waste at home and keeping plastics clean makes a big difference.

Q: How is Maan Enviro Technologies involved?
A: We support MRF setups, supply sorting and granulation machines, and help local bodies and housing societies manage waste better.

Stay with Us

Soft plastics may be hard to manage, but the right systems and machines can make it possible. With better awareness, improved MRFs, and continued public support, cities across India can handle soft plastic waste more efficiently.

Stay connected with us for updates, solutions, and insights into solid waste management in India.