Sustainability today is not just a buzzword confined to social media chatter and policy discussions, but has become intrinsic to human existence and human beings are increasingly becoming more cognizant of the consequences of their actions on planet earth. And with this, India Inc too has started adopting sustainable practices and are going green with sustainability goals as this year’s World Earth Day theme focuses on ‘Planet v/s Plastic’.
Among many large Indian business organisations, ITC has adopted sustainable plastic-substitutes in packaging. ITC has introduced various innovative and eco-friendly plant-based packaging solutions and has been using these for a wide array of products, spanning from convenient takeaway meals to soap and shower gel bottles and everyday staples like salt and biscuits.
India’s food delivery and takeaway culture has been growing rapidly and though it has come as a convenient solution for satisfying culinary needs, it is also simultaneously spawning the proliferation of plastic packaging waste. Addressing this challenge of minimising single-use plastics and crafting recyclable packaging solutions for food items demands technological ingenuity. Realising the urgent need to address this issue, ITC has developed a range of sustainable and recyclable packaging options.
ITC Paperboards and Packaging Divisions’ recyclable, biodegradable, and polyethylene-coated barrier boards are available in the food and beverage industries. “Among these, the company’s Filo series is a good example of a solution tailored for the growing food service and delivery market. FiloPack, a packaging product tailored for the food services industry and FiloServe, that can be adapted into serve ware like plates, trays and food liners are both plastic substitute solutions and are 100 per cent recyclable in existing standard recycling systems,” ITC said in a statement.
ITC said that sustainable packaging solutions including 100 per cent outer paper bag and 100 per cent mono-material PP laminate, effectively reducing plastic usage, are being used for its products ranging from Sunfeast Farmlite biscuits to Aashirvaad organic atta and salt to Sunfeast Yippee! to ITC Master Chef Frozen Snacks. Several of ITC’s personal care brands such as Fiama, Savlon and Engage are also progressively adopting recyclable options. Solutions include using post-consumer recycled material and shifting to 100 per cent paper-based recyclable cartons.
ITC’s Hotels has also replaced plastic water bottles with eco-friendly glass bottles while plastic drinking straws, stirrers and other plastic items too have been substituted with paper and wood-based alternatives.
“However, it is through Wellbeing Out of Waste (WOW), ITC’s flagship solid waste management initiative, that a ground impact is being created and citizens are being sensitised about the rising threat of plastic usage. Reaching over 2.2 crore citizens, 60 lakh households, and providing livelihoods for nearly 17,000 waste collectors, the initiative stands out for its unique and hands-on approach,” the company said. Besides WOW, ITC has also collaborated with the Swachh Bharat Mission in 32 districts across 10 states for a community-driven decentralized Solid Waste Management (SWM) programme.
ITC exceeded its commitment on Plastic Neutrality for the second year in a row in FY23 by collecting and sustainably managing over 60,000 MT of plastic waste during the year. ITC aims to make 100 per cent of its packaging reusable, recyclable or biodegradable within the next decade.