Hyderabad: In a novel initiative, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to convert waste into eco-friendly tiles for footpath construction across the city.At present, the city generates nearly 8,000 tonnes of waste daily, most of which ends up at the Jawahar Nagar dumping yard. Of this, around 14% – approximately 1,000 tonnes – is plastic waste. To tackle this issue, GHMC is now planning to recycle plastic into durable tiles, giving garbage a new purpose while promoting sustainable urban development.“In the first phase, we will lay plastic tiles for a 2-km stretch each at Raj Bhavan Road and Film Nagar on a pilot basis. The civic body will evaluate their strength and performance across different weather conditions. If proven successful, the initiative will be expanded to other areas of the city where footpaths need construction or repairs,” said Anuraag Jayanti, GHMC Zonal Commissioner (Khairatabad).GHMC officials also said that by using recycled tiles for footpath construction, they aim to reduce landfill burden, minimise plastic pollution, and promote eco-friendly alternatives in city development. This move not only supports sustainable waste management in the city but also sets an example for other cities struggling with plastic disposal, they added.Earlier, Mysore City Corporation implemented a similar model by converting non-reusable plastic into interlocking tiles for footpaths.
