Reducing waste is key as phase-out won’t be easy

Industry hasn’t found alternative to multilayered plastic used in packaging

Plastic packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste globally, and much of it is thrown away within just a few minutes of its first use. Most of this waste is generated in Asia, while the US, Japan and the European Union are the world’s largest producers of plastic packaging waste per capita. In 2015, plastic packaging waste accounted for 47% of the plastic waste generated globally, half of that came from Asia.

Reduction strategies are another option to lessen the number of plastic bags and the amount of single-use plastic packaging.

alternative to multilayered plastic (MLP) used mainly in food packaging as wrappers on biscuit or chips pack, for example.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, specified that “manufacture and use of nonrecyclable multilayered plastic, if any, should be phased out in two years”. But after the industry bodies petitioned the Union environment ministry saying there are no alternatives to MLP, an amendment to the rules was made in 2018, saying only those MLPS are to be phased out which are “non-recyclable, or non-energy recoverable, or with no alternate use.”

Since most MLPS can be used for energy recovery, the amendment pretty much exempted all MLPS from being phased out.

The environment ministry, in its advisory issued to states on phasing out of single-use plastics (WHEN), also said that MLPS used for perishable items will not be prohibited because there are Effectively recycled

Recycled to lower value applications

Lost in process

Landfilled

Incinerated Leakage

no replacement technologies available. According to a TERI and environment ministry fact sheet released last year, around 43% of manufactured plastics are used for packaging purpose and most are of single-use.

The CPCB has estimated that each person in India consumes about 9.7 kg of plastics annually, most of which is packaging related. A relatively new addition to the burden of plastic waste is packaging from e-commerce.

According to an analysis by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the current e-commerce market of $35 billion in India is expected to grow at a 25% compound annual growth rate over the next five years. Some e-commerce companies are already assessing cleaner alternatives to packaging. Amazon India, for example, announced last month that it will eliminate single-use plastic from its packaging by June 2020. It will introduce paper cushions, which will replace air pillows and bubble wraps. Flipkart announced earlier this month that it plans to use 100% recycled plastic in its own supply chain by March 2021. It plans to introduce paper shreds, replace poly pouches with recycled paper bags, bubble wraps and air bags with carton waste shredded material.

Bioplastics are also being considered as an alternative to some packaging. Biodegradable plastic which utilises starch, cellulose, polylactic acid as raw materials can be used for short term use products. “Bags made of bio-plastics can cost 2.5 times more than regular plastic. Demand for these are less because of the high cost. There needs to be much more research and development in this sector. Also, bioplastics are not water-resistant,” said Manuja.

“Plastics came as a remedy for the inadequacies of other packaging material which was being used. For example, glass is an energy guzzler and heavy. Paper has a huge eco footprint because of water consumption, usage of chemicals and tree felling involved. We cannot avoid PET or plastic. Even the paper cups we use are lined with polythene to make them water resistant. Plastic has a lot of virtues,” said Vijay Habbu, adjunct professor at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.

Habbu added that the development of alternative material will not happen in a few years. “Instead the government should ensure behaviour change among citizens, better disposal and collection by local governments and the industry. Only those that are already a nuisance like carry bags, straws, cutlery made of flimsy plastic can be phased out. The government should come out with a clear policy. A feature of plastics, PET is their importance during natural calamities. Water is the most critical need delivered in PET bottles.”