The Krasnoyarsk Region produces more than 500 thousand tons of plastic waste annually - and most of it can be sent for recycling. Since January 1, the left-bank Krasnoyarsk Recycling Company has been collecting plastic lids as part of the Kind Covers all-Russia charity project, which aims to make the world a cleaner place and help children.

"Prospekt Mira, together with the KRK company, traced the collected plastic to where it was going to check whether recycling actually exists in Krasnoyarsk.

How does it work?

Beverage caps, plastic bottles and milking packs (soft packaging of sauces, condensed milk, etc.) are collected in the office of the Krasnoyarsk Recycling Company and in youth centers of the city. Then a large batch is sent to Divnogorsk Polymeric Products Plant. Clean lids without inlays (they must be taken out by themselves), as well as plastic rings and pens are accepted.

- We are taking our first steps to a conscious, separate waste collection," said Igor Kim, Executive Director of the Krasnoyarsk Recycling Company. - It is possible to collect plastic dishes, glassware, and lids separately - just one of the options for such separate waste collection.

Once the lids get to the factory, they are crushed in a special plant. The crushed plastic is then pushed into a machine that melts the finished parts used for urban amenities, furniture, construction and more. Now the plant has more than 90 different forms for mass production and about 10-15 exclusive forms.

Why do they collect caps and not whole bottles?

Even now the residents of the city can throw plastic bottles into special nets installed in many Krasnoyarsk yards. And the caps are still accepted only in "KRC" and youth centers. However, already in June in parks, public gardens and other public places it is planned to install the first sites with nets, in which Krasnoyarsk citizens will be able to throw out the caps and empty bottles and bags, the company says.

By the way, as we were told in the company "KRK", the application CleanPath is being prepared for release, through which you can see the map of the Krasnoyarsk nets for plastic and monitor their fillability: if the urn is filled, you can note it in the application. Immediately on the interactive map will be marked receiving points for batteries and other recyclable waste.

What else can I recycle?

The Divnogorsk Plastics Plant accepts any recyclable waste. In the factory warehouses, cardboard, plastic bottles and even old wreaths are carefully stacked in briquettes.

- Our plant accepts bags, bottles and all plastic used in the household. Except for the mix one, these are cases from irons and various machines, - says Anatoly Bekmurzaev, General Director of Divnogorsk Plant of Plastic Products. - For example, we have an agreement with one of the car dealers, we take away canisters from them. We collect plastic ourselves, granulate it and get new products.

Bekmurzayev said that plastic products of the plant find their consumers, but there is a problem of demand:

- Construction, furniture and electrical companies and landscaping companies work with us. We make various plugs and caps. However, today the big problem is low consumption. We can produce a lot of products, but the demand for them is still low, unlike in the European part of the country, where such production works much more efficiently. If we do not have an end consumer, the whole chain - from separate collection and regional operator to processing - will be meaningless.

According to Anatoli Bekmurzaev, a lot of work will be done with the population, who should not reject recycled products. Bags, baskets and buckets can be made from recycled goods, and such goods can be bought - the area of consumer social responsibility.

Besides polymers.

In addition to the workshop, the polymer factory has a room covered with planes. Here is the Center of youth innovative creativity of Divnogorsk. Children and students get involved in it and get engineering knowledge. They learn to draw in special programs, and the plant plays the role of a platform, which students and schoolchildren use as a resource for receiving technical education.

By the way, the developing puzzle designers, made at the plant by its students, donated to the "Dobro24.ru" fund.