Solutions for recyclable flexible packaging
Context
In India, approximately 70% of consumer packaging is comprised of flexible plastics. However, the recycling rates for this type of packaging remain very low. While larger mono-material flexible packaging, like polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) films, are collected for recycling. Whereas a significant portion of flexible packaging, which consists of multi-layered polymers or multi-material laminates (MLPs), are not collected and recycled at scale due to their complex structures, low weight, and lack of end-markets for post-consumer recyclate. In India, approximately 70% of consumer packaging is comprised of flexible plastics. However, the recycling rates for this type of packaging remain very low. While larger mono-material flexible packaging, like polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) films, are collected for recycling. Whereas a significant portion of flexible packaging, which consists of multi-layered polymers or multi-material laminates (MLPs), are not collected and recycled at scale due to their complex structures, low weight, and lack of end-markets for post-consumer recyclate.
Collaboration for innovation
The lack of recyclability of MLP poses a significant environmental challenge for India and leads to a loss of valuable resources for the Indian plastics economy. To address this issue, CII under the India Plastics Pact initiative, with support from WRAP and Stewart Investors, has provided a catalysing platform to three leading Indian businesses to demonstrate scalable solutions for recyclable flexible packaging.
Each business is part of a consortium that consists of three stakeholders: an FMCG brand, a packaging converter, and a recycler. Collaboration among industry stakeholders through these projects will ensure that the new recyclable packaging structures that are introduced to the Indian market, are scaled by brands, and are recyclable in the Indian context – enabling a circular economy for this kind of packaging.
Selected consortia are led by
What does the project involve?
The project involves
Testing the new packaging on the product to ensure that it does not have a negative impact on product quality, shelf life, and overall user experience.
Market testing in selected regions across India to test product performance, collection of post-consumer packaging waste, and recyclability of the packaging at scale by Indian recyclers.
Findings and key learnings from the project will be consolidated into a report. This report will provide insights into the feasibility, challenges, and opportunities of adopting recyclable flexible packaging in the Indian market.
Here’s what the companies have to say as they embark on this journey…
It is possible to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics to truly create a circular economy for plastic packaging. For us, innovation is rooted in sustainability. With CII’s support, we are working on exploring recyclable flexible plastics packaging solutions that will work in practice, without the loss of economic value of existing infrastructure, and with far lesser plastic waste and pollution. As the demand for plastic packaging is set to double over the coming decades, we need to innovate now to find ways that plastic never becomes waste.
Dr Venkateswara Yadlapalli
Head – R&D, Godrej Consumer Products Limited
We thank CII for the catalysing platform they have provided through the India Plastics Pact, which enables us to partner with industry leaders to advance our efforts in developing recyclable packaging solutions. At Huhtamaki, we are committed to transitioning from multilayer to monolayer packaging, a significant step toward enhancing sustainability. By working closely with our customers on market trials, we aim to drive the adoption of recyclable solutions across the industry. This partnership reinforces our shared vision of advancing circularity and promoting sustainable innovation.
Ashwinikumar Singh
Head of Innovation and Product Development, Huhtamaki India
At PepsiCo India, we believe in driving a positive change, and recyclable flexible packaging is an important step in our journey towards it. We are working to make every stage of our value chain more circular and tackle significant packaging challenges through innovation, redesign, policy advocacy, and infrastructure investment. Our guiding principle of ‘Partnership of progress’ fosters innovation by collaborating with partners and communities to drive positive societal and environmental impact. We are delighted for the platform CII has provided through the India Plastics Pact initiative to partner with ecosystem partners to develop, accelerate, and adopt recyclable packaging solutions to create a world where plastic never becomes waste.
Yashika Singh
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia
