In Irkutsk, a plant is being prepared to launch for processing polyethylene and polypropylene waste, which will buy used materials and turn them into secondary products. Film and other packaging after processing will become granules for making pipes, buckets and basins, and the line capacity will allow processing up to 2 to 3 tons per shift. The project authors expect to recoup the equipment in two years, but admit that the main difficulties are linked to the lack of separate waste collection and the unwillingness of large organizations to cooperate.

Waste to use. In Irkutsk, a plant for processing polyethylene and polypropylene waste is preparing to launch. Its founders are ready to buy used materials to give them a second life.
About two million cubic meters of solid household waste were taken to the landfills of Irkutsk and the Irkutsk District last year. And how much is simply lying underfoot. Meanwhile, the decomposition period of, for example, ordinary polyethylene film is from decades to a hundred years. Such a legacy from a beautiful distant past for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
And these are also piles of garbage in the hangar of one of the new Irkutsk enterprises. Bales of used packaging film. Its disposal is a headache for many consumers. Most often it is burned, poisoning the already unhealthy air.
- For our enterprise, this is raw material for the production of secondary products. That is, as you can see, there are already about thirty tons, as you said, of garbage here, - says manager Konstantin Novoselov.
These waste materials will be processed. Specialists are now installing the equipment. The used film will turn into granules, which will be used to make new products. Pipes, buckets, basins - a second life for this waste.
- The output is 300-400 kilograms per hour. That is, roughly speaking, we can process 2-3 tons per shift. There is no such production in Siberia, - says technologist Igor Batura.
The idea of earning income from what is literally lying underfoot belongs to a group of young entrepreneurs. They developed a business plan and attracted an investor. The equipment costs, which amount to about five million rubles, are expected to pay for themselves in two years. This is under the condition of stable operation. But there may be difficulties with that.
- The main problem is the lack of understanding and the lack of willingness of large organizations to cooperate. There must be some kind of social responsibility. That is, waste should not be burned or thrown away. It should be recycled.
Another problem is the lack of separate waste collection. Our waste is not sorted. Right now, the entrepreneurs are negotiating with the landfills of Irkutsk, Sayansk, and Angarsk. If they refuse to do the sorting, they will organize such a service themselves. The enterprise's specialists are ready to pay for the waste and even transport it themselves. Then for suppliers, waste will become additional income, processors will also make a profit, and the cities of the region will get rid of harmful waste.