India’s CSIR-NCL and Reliance to Recycle PPE Waste

CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune jointly with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and several other companies from Pune pooled their expertise to manufacture moulded plastic components from COVID-19 PPE waste.

The undertaken pilot project has the potential to scale up and replicate throughout the country to convert PPE waste into useful and safe products, claimed the companies in a statement.

The pilot project aided by Reliance and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) Dehradun, with funding from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, mainly involved converting the decontaminated PPE waste (mainly comprising PPE suits/overalls) into an easily processable and upcycled agglomerated form (pellets or granules).

The feed material (PPE kits) was collected and decontaminated by Passco Environmental Solutions, a waste management company located in Pune. CSIR-NCL secured all regulatory approvals needed from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to complete this pilot trial.

The scientists working on the project ensured that the polymer pellets show the right attributes necessary for successful conversion to produce non-food applications, including high-performance automotive components.