MNCs join hands to increase recycling of used cartons

About a dozen MNCs, including Dabur India, United Spirits and food packaging firm Tetra Pak, have joined hands to increase recycling of used cartons to 60 per cent by 2025 from around 30 per cent at present.

The companies have come together to form the 'Action Alliance for Recycling Beverage Cartons (AARC) which aims to create an end-to-end waste management ecosystem by engaging with stakeholders across the value chain.

The alliance, led by Tetra Pak, will engage with waste pickers, scrap dealers, waste management firms, recyclers, and NGOs, thereby impacting millions engaged in the waste trade.

Other companies who joined the alliance are CavinKare, Halewood Laboratories, John Distilleries, Karnataka Milk Federation, Parag Milk, Radico Khaitan and Schreiber Dynamix Dairies with many more expected to join.

"We can just sell the product for safe consumption, we have to ensure that the means which make the product safe is not negatively impacting the environment," Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Chairman and Vice Chairman of AARC, Commander Amitabha Ray told reporters here.

The joint initiative of the industry and Tetra Pak will work in collaboration with the government and aims to impact the livelihood of those engaged in the waste management through additional earnings from carton collections.

"One of the basic component of Swachh Bharat mission is 100 per cent recycling and scientific processing of the waste and this initiative is towards that mission as recycling brings out the efficiency of the resources," Swachh Bharat mission Director and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Vinod Jindal said.

The AARC will also look at creating public awareness to encourage civic society to make informed choices with regard to responsible disposal.

Speaking on the launch of the AARC, Tetra Pak MD Kandarp Singh said: "Over the last 15 years, Tetra Pak has successfully built up the used cartons recycling ecosystem from scratch. Our commitment to the cause has been unwavering and despite many challenges, one out of three used cartons are recycled today".