Page 36 - Plastics News January 2018

FeAtures

and hence there is no risk of water contamination manufacturers to India. This is especially so in the
owing to leakages and breakages which are common in case of automotive, IT and appliance sectors. In fact
pipes made out of other materials. Another example many producers have relocated their production of
is the new explosion proof, translucent, rust proof plastic components to India with a focus on global
and lightweight LPG Cylinders being introduced distribution. “Lowest Cost to Produce”, continues to
across the country. Even if we were to look at the be the prime agenda and India is well equipped to
not-so-distant applications and just consider two offer this advantage. Moreover, with a huge domestic
main end-use sectors – packaging and healthcare, market, India provides multiple opportunities for
plastics are making strong meritorious inroads. They product and business model innovation, both, while
enable us to preserve food without refrigeration. offering robust IP safeguards.
New plastic packaging can store and preserve milk at Need to be Sustainable & Regenerative
room temperature for over 30 days. Similarly, other
dairy products, processed food, sea food, fruits and However, a lack of a collective and systematic recycling
vegetables can now be packed and preserved under of post-consumer plastics is becoming a big issue.
normal conditions. An estimated two-thirds of all the plastic produced
Nanotechnology is being increasingly used to improve annually across the world ends up in a landfill or is
barrier properties of plastic wrappings for food, and disposed-off in an unplanned manner. Here, the plastics’
plastic bottles for soft drinks and juices. As regards best property – that they can weather the forces of nature
healthcare, plastics are used in external applications – turns into a curse. As it won’t degrade naturally, a plastic
as well as implants to assist, prolong or augment simply accumulates and becomes a pollutant, affecting the
human functions - with artificial limbs, blood bags, entire ecosystem – Deep oceans to urban infrastructure.
stents, bionics among others. Already, multiple regulations have been enacted across
Going forward, Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composites countries to curtail the environmental ill-effects of
will empower innovations across industries plastics. In India production of plastic carry bags with less
with applications in futuristic market segments than 50mm thickness has been banned. New plastic waste
like aerospace, mass transport systems, space management rules prescribe phasing out non-recyclable
technology, oil & gas, automotive, renewable multi-layered plastic in near future. Government of
energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, marine, Maharashtra is pursuing an objective to be plastics free
military, and sports & recreation. Composites will by April 2018. With the menace of un-recycled plastics
help strengthening the world around us and enable growing, the industry runs the risk of more stringent
innovations hitherto deemed difficult. Numerous regulations and consumer backlash. For this, proactive
application of composites are of high strategic steps are needed towards creating a ‘circular economy’ for
relevance to India – aerospace, metro rails, defense, plastics. This will necessitate investments to be stepped up
automotive, gas cylinders and infrastructure. Size of across the entire ecosystem, including collection, sorting,
the India’ market for composites is around ~ USD 1.6 cleaning, processing and reuse of plastics. Governments
B in materials and ~ USD 3.5 B in end-market. Focus will need to pass enabling policies and citizens will need
on ‘Make-In-India’ campaign is likely to increase the to be motivated to comply with best practices of plastic
rate of growth beyond the current 15% pa. disposal. Similarly, we will need innovation to make this
process economically feasible.
2. Market Development: Our domestic industry has
long been a converter of plastics. While, most of In conclusion
the products are aimed at the domestic market, The story of Polymers & Plastics is about enabling the
this is now changing in a significant way. Exports of existence of human life at great scale.
plastic products to high-value, emerging markets
will contribute significantly to the development of Polymers will continue to help produce greater quantities
our industry. Already, there are many processors of more stable food, protect against disease and injury,
who have witnessed organic growth mainly by reap the benefits of modern medicine, and break the
expanding its customer base outside the boundaries physical limitations of the human body.
of India. In certain sectors like FIBC bags, exports Advances in polymer chemistry, if managed responsibly,
actually constitute more than 90% of the entire will enable a healthier, safer, and longer life – and we at
industry output. Als, cost increases in countries Reliance are truly honored to be able to contribute to
like Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Thailand are pushing

Plastics News Januar y 2018 36