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Bipin M. Shah
Director,
Trend PlastPouch Pack Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai |
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Plastics Industry – Current Scenario
The industry saw turmoil in the later part of the year 2008. The rise in the oil prices and catastrophe in the financial market affected each and every business. Fortunately, Indian currency and banking modality saved the disastrous result which is seen in the Western or G-8 world, whether the capitalism failed or banking institutions did not realise the mistakes they made, before the rescue operations started in September / October 2008.
The plastic industry did suffer on account of high oil prices and to some extent nonavailability of raw material, but the average growth was not too suppressed. The industry had a lull time between October 2008 and February 2009, however, the growth now continues in all spheres, be it automotive, electronics, food and fertilizers packaging.
Retail Packaging
There has been a recent boom in the organised retail space in India . Organised retail forms only about 2% of retail sales but is growing at 40% annually. The rural market of about 700 million people offers a huge potential for retail packaging. There has also been a shift from unpacked to packed commodities.
The unorganised retail packaging space however is in a shabby stage. The raddi papers, the newspapers, the zabla bags (recycled) easily find their way into the open space, thereby adding to the pressure on the recycled waste management.
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Punjabi flavour, brown fried onion paste,green palak flavour.
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Efforts are being made to make plastic bio-degradable. However, use of PLA and biodegradable disintegration of plastic films is getting its attention, but the sustainability and economics is not in their favour at
present.
Plastic-Paper Packaging
A small effort in this direction is made using a combination of plastic with paper for retail food packaging. This is not only water and oil resistant but totally leak proof. Short shelflife sachets can also be made from this material. The coated paper is not only recyclable but it also helps the scavengers to collect and hence their efforts are not wasted, which is not the case for thin zabla bags. This, being a good food grade material, has led to many successfully developments for dispensing fast food.
Advantages
• Most hygienic food grade packaging
• No seepage of oil / water from paper
• Retains food nutritive value
• Retains taste and aroma longer
• Excellent for take away food including liquids (heat sealable)
• Good for vadapav, kachori, pattice, rolls and fried delicacy
• Can be used to wipe your hands after use
• Recyclable - eco friendly
This concept has been successfully tried for hotels, retail outlets, bakery and fried snacks can help to reduce the eye sore created by thin plastic bags.
Kolhapuri flavour different flavours of Indian curries. |
Plastic – Paper Packs Help Conserve Energy
This decade is one for energy conservation and finding renewable sources of energy. If these coated plastic-paper bags are used for dispensing food, huge amount of energy can be saved by not using metal containers which goes back and forth from home to office and school to home. We can reduce the journey of 400 gm for metal containers for avg. 10 kms by use of hardly 5 gm of plastic-paper one way, which is recyclable. Also, this hygienic pack sustains the nutritive aspect of fried and baked items, retains the ingredients without soiling with lead inks and other chemicals like in the case of newspapers. This particular modality of dispensing fast food is a great potential to be exploited which is definitely using less plastic and also the packaging is recyclable.
New & clean method for packaging and eating. |
Laminated Plastic Bags: Packaging Ready-to-Eat Meals
The dream of our Late Mahatma Gandhi was to take the urban area to rural area. The amount of energy lost in transportation of vegetables as well as a huge loss of nutritive value; laminated plastic bags is a small effort which has been made, which is commercially viable and sustainable to make gravies which can easily be made in the rural area. These gravies are packed and made sterile without preservatives with a shelf-life of 60 to 90 days. The real advantage of this technology is that gravies neither need refrigeration nor deep freezing and can be transported at room temperature. Successful deliveries are made for exports of pre-cooked gravies at room temperature to the Middle East. By this method of using laminated plastic bags, which are much cheaper compared to glass jars or sophisticated aseptic methods, it gives great value addition to the food processing industry in case of cooking and at the same time makes preparatory effort at low cost.
This concept has been propagated and successfully utilised in call centres, kitchens, small eateries and by the ‘dink’ families. The party lovers can have get-together and the vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparation can be made in short time without cumbersome cooking preparation. House wives are always happy when they have to use less effort and energy and at the same time serve guests home cooked food. With less time spent in the kitchen and availability of gravies at room temperature, which is economical, energy saver, the concept should be propagated which can ultimately become a ay of life.
At a dhaba, Chinese cooking corner, BPO centre or with small families, the challenge is mega, the solutions are trivial.
Kolhapuri flavour |
Plastic Bags Issues
The deluge of 26/7 created hue and cry due to thin Zabla bags blocking the drains. A great resistance was created for use of plastic, considered trash choking the sewerage system and environmentally non-ecofriendly. The Plastic bag became an eye sore inspite of the fact that plastic contributed to industrial growth be it automotive, electronics, exports and agriculture.
The clean and recycled plastic waste of monolayer film is well established and even milk bags
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Dosa-open pouch eat nutritive value preserved.
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are being reused and recycled for specification of lower end applications.
However, the Government in Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Delhi have failed to recognise the value addition the plastic film brings in many sectors. They have issued ban on the use of plastic bags and legislation are being enacted. The most recent Notification regarding the Use of Plastics Manufacture, Usage and Waste Management) has evoked the plastic industry & manufacturers, processors & end-users and have united in objecting to some of the clauses.
Recycling Plastic Waste
Neat transfer of liquids in pouches. |
The industry’s apex body namely Plastindia Foundation and ICPE have laid down, the course of how waste management can be put into practice. Collection and recycling centres have been established and utility of wastage in making of diesel or resurfacing the roads or using the wastage for iron kilns is being examined. Ultimately, any method for cleaning pelletising, recycling has to be economical. The process should be sustainable and eco-friendly, keeping in mind that wastage that finds its way on the streets has to be removed to make the environment clean. Many processes are in existence and being practiced for recycling of waste or thinner bags, cement bags, automotive and electronics items. We also have to understand that the life cycle of these products as compared to flexible packaging. The wastage of say refrigerators or automotive car will be available only after a minimum period of 5 to 7 years.This is not so for food and retail packaging.
Conclusion
Plastic packaging has brought about a change in the marketing of various food and retail products. This has enabled urban India to experience concepts like readyto- eat meals, which are possible because of hygienic, safe and conomical plastic packaging which also contributes towards energy conservation. For rural India, plastic packaging has, in a way, improved lives by enabling towns and villages to gain access to FMCG products, clean and unadulterated milk, oil etc.Thus, let us understand that plastic does not pollute, in fact it can rescue the environment if used, reused and recycled! |
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