Page 58 - Plastics News August 2018

IN THE NEWS

Maharashtra to consult 'Plastic Snack makers to resize packs
Man of India' for building roads to meet Maharashtra's plastic

aharashtra is taking its plastic policy a step further norms
Mby inviting Professor Rajagopalan Vasudevan, known
as the Plastic Man of India, for consultations on innovative nack manufacturers are now considering reducing
ways to dispose of plastic and turn waste into roads. The Spacket sizes to bring down plastic use. The plan is in
keeping with the Maharashtra government’s anti-plastic
6WDWH (QYLURQPHQW DQG 3XEOLF :RUNV 'HSDUWPHQW ZLOO KROG steps, which includes attempts to clamp down on
talks with the 73-year-old Prof. Vasudevan, recipient of multi-layer packaging for fast moving consumer goods
the Padma Shri, The chemistry professor from Madurai (FMCG). Though plastic used at the manufacturing stage
could work with the government in an advisory role is exempt from the plastic ban that has been imposed
in the state, the government told FMCG companies
last month to come up with solutions for package
recycling and reuse. Among the companies that have
shown an intention to follow the order are PepsiCo
India, ITC and Cavinkare. PepsiCo India is resizing
packs of its bestselling Lay’s and Kurkure as it ramps up
sustainable packaging solutions amid growing concerns
over plastic depleting the environment, said a company
spokesperson. The fastest selling units of Lay’s are
the Rs5 and Rs10 packs of American cream onion and
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and Mad Angles, too is looking for a solution. “Over
the next decade, ITC will deploy superior solutions so
that 100% of its product packaging will be reusable,
to recommend the use of plastic in building roads and
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on ways to dispose of plastic waste. Primarily, we are
looking at using recyclable plastic in construction of State
highways and roads,” said a senior secretary. Since 2002,
Prof. Vasudevan has been using shredded plastic waste
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spread over stones and later added to molten tar.
The roads constructed in such a way have lasted longer recyclable or compostable. Already, over 99% of solid
than those constructed by local bodies and State waste generated in ITC’s factories is recycled,” said
governments. The Maharashtra government has said it is a spokesperson.Then, the Chennai-based Cavinkare is
hopeful of integrating Prof. Vasudevan’s innovative ways looking to “optimise” its raw material intake of plastic
in its Road Development Plan 2001-2021. Under the plan, for its Garden snacks brand. The company is also
the State is targeting to develop 3.37 lakh km of roads by ZRUNLQJ RQ D EX\EDFN SURFHVV VSHFLÀF WR 0DKDUDVKWUD
2021. Maharashtra has been steadily increasing its road a spokesperson told TOI. Some FMCG companies,
length at a substantial cost. From a network of 2,99,368 including Coca Cola and Bisleri, are offering a buyback
km in 2015, the State government took it up to 3,00,789 price of Rs 15 for a kg of PET bottles and Rs 5 for a kg
km in the next year. of shrink wraps.FMCG companies are also looking for
alternatives to PET bottles

Plastics News August 2018 58