According to a December 2022 report by Oceana, Amazon generated an estimated 321 million kilograms (709 million pounds) of plastic waste from packaging in 2021 alone. This amount of plastic is equivalent to circling the Earth over 800 times as air pillows. While Amazon denies this claim, stating that it follows a science-based approach to reduce packaging waste, there is still a lot left to be done.
What is Biotransformation technology?
Biotransformation technology is a novel approach to ensure plastics that escape refuse streams are processed efficiently and broken down. The tech was co-developed by the Imperial College in London, UK, and a Britain-based startup, Polymateria.
It involves giving plastics a pre-programmed time during which the manufactured material looks and feels like conventional plastics without compromising on quality. Once the product expires and is exposed to the external environment, it self-destructs and biotransforms into bioavailable wax.
This wax is then consumed by microorganisms, converting waste into water, CO2, and biomass.
Why do we need biotransformation technology?
The world generates billions of kilograms of plastic waste annually, and a significant portion of this comes from packaging waste. E-commerce giant Amazon alone generated an estimated 321 million kilograms (709 million pounds) of plastic from packaging waste in 2021.
Plastic packaging waste from e-commerce firms was estimated at over a billion kilograms worldwide in 2019. Additionally, a third of India’s 3.5 billion kilograms of plastic waste generated annually comes from packaging waste.
Biotransformation technology can help reduce plastic waste by ensuring that plastics biodegrade in an open environment without leaving microplastics.
Is biotransformation technology being used in India?
Some well-known Indian firms in food and packaging industries deploy such technologies. Within healthcare and pharma industries, this technology provides biodegradable solutions for non-woven hygiene products like diapers, sanitary napkins, facial pads, etc.
What initiatives has the Indian government taken to tackle plastic pollution?
The Indian government has launched multiple initiatives to move the country towards sustainability. They introduced a plastic waste management gazette to help tackle the ever-growing plastic pollution caused by single-use plastics.
An Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal helps in improving accountability traceability, and facilitating ease of compliance reporting in relation to EPR obligations of the producers, importers and brand-owners. India has also developed a mobile app to report single use plastics grievances to check sale, usage or manufacturing of single use plastics in their area.
Last year, the Indian government imposed a ban on single-use plastics to bring a stop to its use in the country. The National Dashboard on Elimination of Single Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management brings all stakeholders together to track the progress made in eliminating single-use plastic and effectively managing such waste.
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What are the alternatives to reducing plastic waste?
A switch to jute or paper-based packaging could potentially cut down plastic waste. This could also build sustainability within the paper industry, and save on the import bill on ethylene solutions. The wooden packaging is yet another alternative, but that will make the packaging bulkier and increase cost.
The Government of Tamil Nadu, in Chennai, organised National Expo and Conference of Startups to raise awareness on alternatives to single-use plastics. The alternatives showcased were made using coir, bagasse, rice and wheat bran, plant and agricultural residue, banana and areca leaves, jute and cloth.
What is Biotransformation technology?
Biotransformation technology is a new approach to process plastics efficiently and break them down into bioavailable wax, which is consumed by microorganisms, converting waste into water, CO2, and biomass.
Why do we need biotransformation technology?
Biotransformation technology can help reduce plastic waste by ensuring that plastics biodegrade in an open environment without leaving microplastics.
Is biotransformation technology being used in India?
Some well-known Indian firms in food and packaging industries deploy such technologies, and within healthcare and pharma industries, this technology provides biodegradable solutions for non-woven hygiene products like diapers, sanitary napkins, facial pads, etc.
What initiatives has the Indian government taken to tackle plastic pollution?
The Indian government has launched multiple initiatives, including a plastic waste management gazette, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal, a mobile app to report single-use plastics grievances, a ban on single-use plastics, and the National Dashboard on Elimination of Single Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management.
What are the alternatives to reducing plastic waste?
Alternatives to reducing plastic waste include jute or paper-based packaging, wooden packaging, and using coir, bagasse, rice and wheat bran, plant and agricultural residue, banana and areca leaves, jute and cloth as alternatives to single-use plastics.
