Current technological options for recycling packaging waste: Challenges and opportunities in India

Abstract

Packaging in India comprises around 59% of total plastic consumption, with most of the waste originating from single‐use and short shelf‐life products. The plastic recycling industry is primarily made up of informal processing units which have predominantly been recycling Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste due to ease of availability, sorting, and higher upscale values than most other single‐use packaging. Other packaging, such as Polyethylene (PE) shopping bags, thin film and multi‐material packaging waste is either directed to downcycling, incineration or landfill. About 94% of total recycling in India is carried out through mechanical recycling, which comes through informal and fragmented recycling units. Most of the recycling units in India rely on rudimentary technologies. One example is a visual sorting system that involves manual handling to recycle plastic waste, which is resource and time intensive. There has been some advancement towards chemical and energy recovery techniques, but mostly been limited to pilot‐scale deployment. This article explores the existing and emerging technological options suitable for recycling post‐consumer flexible plastic packaging waste in India. It also discusses the status of multi‐material packaging waste, and the advancement being made for its recycling. The paper also explores India's increased momentum in the use of innovative recycling techniques, such as distributed recycling and manufacturing techniques and plastic waste in steel manufacturing.This article is categorized under: Climate and Environment > Ecosystem Services Climate and Environment > Circular Economy Emerging Technologies > Materials