FMCG companies chase stiff deadlines to cut plastic use

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a deadline of October 2, 2019, for eradication of single-use plastic, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are working aggressively towards meeting their timelines of using 100% biodegradable plastic for packaging ready-to-eat products. 

A lot of initiatives have been put in place to reduce, collect and recycle multi-layered plastic (MLP). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for beverage products are being re-purposed to make apparels, footwear, furniture, etc, by many companies.

Sharukh Khan, executive director - operations, Dabur India, said the company is aiming to become a plastic waste neutral company by March 2021. “This is being done by collecting, processing and recycling 20,000 metric tonnes (mt) of post-consumer plastic waste. With this, the company would be collecting 100% of the plastic waste it generates through its product packaging,” said Khan.

However, players say a clear definition of what is single-use plastic in the Indian context is very crucial. According to industry players, items like plastic carry bags, plates, glasses, cups, cutlery, straws and take-away food containers and thermocol plates fall in this category.

They said the problem can largely be solved by embedding the concept of 5R – refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and recover.

“It starts with educating consumers to avoid plastic use, if possible. The crucial step in achieving recycling or recovery is an effective source segregation. The challenge is mainly in terms of lack of the required infrastructure. The regulators should focus on systems for effective collection, recycle and recovery. A suitable extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework involving all the relevant stakeholders will help. We have allocated Rs 3.25 crore for EPR this year along with a lot of management time and attention. We have set our packaging targets for 2024-25. For our India operations, we will reduce packaging consumption per unit of production by 20% from 2017-18. We will also ensure that 100% of the packaging material we use is recyclable, reusable, recoverable or compostable,” said Rakesh Sinha, head - global supply chain, manufacturing and IT, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.

PepsiCo India has been been working across states to collect, segregate and sustainably manage equivalent of 100% plastic packaging by 2021. It has partnered with organisations to upcycle plastic into creating utility products such as chairs, benches, tables, t-shirts, laptop bags -- for instance, six PET bottles are being used to make a t-shirt. “One of our key targets is to make 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging by 2025 and we have been striving to design all packaging with the goal to achieve optimum results with utmost efficient use of material possible,”  a PepsiCo India spokesperson said.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) will move to 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging by 2025. The company is working with the government and other partners such as United Nations Development Programme on pilot projects for plastic waste management. 

“We have also committed that 25% of all the plastic we use will come from recycled sources by 2025. We are working towards achieving this goal. We continually look at new ways to reduce, re-use, recycle and recover packaging and waste as we move towards becoming a zero-waste business. Globally, we have reduced nearly one-third of our packaging waste since 2010. We are committed to accelerating a transition to a circular economy, moving from the linear take-make-dispose model to a regenerative approach, which keeps materials at their highest value for as long as possible,” said an HUL spokesperson.

ITC has been adopting a holistic approach based on packaging optimisation, use of polymers that allow higher levels of recycling and supporting municipal programmes on waste source segregation, collection, reuse and recycling.

“Over 150 mt of post-consumer MLP was collected in Pune in partnership with a pioneering waste-pickers cooperative SWaCH and recycled as vegetable trays, flower pots, pallets, etc. Since its launch in June 2019, this programme is in the process of being scaled up to achieve an annual recycling target of 2,500 mt, ITC said.

Nestlé India's plans to 100% recyclable/ reusable packaging by 2025. It has designed a project called '2 minute Safaai ke naam' in Dehradun and Mussoorie in November 2018, wherein consumers were incentivised by giving them a packet of Maggi noodle for every 10 empty packets.

“We are working on developing more environment-friendly packaging materials. For single-use plastics at our out of home outlets, we are exploring alternative options. There are certain challenges in serving hot beverages in 100% paper-based options and we are trying to address that,” said a Nestlé India spokesperson.

Coca-Cola's primary packaging is completely recyclable and does not consist of single-use plastic, it said. While continuing with sustainable packaging initiatives, it is redesigning and light-weighting packaging, increasing renewable and recycled material use supporting recycling programmes.