The Pact is designed to reduce plastic pollution in the country, bringing enterprises along the Indian plastics value chain together to develop a circular plastics system which ensures that material is kept in the economy and the environment.

 

India produces 9,47 million tonnes, of which 40% are uncollected, plastic trash annually. The packaging, which is mostly one-use, uses 43 per cent of all plastic manufactured in the country.

 

The Indian Plastics Pact will dealt with this by direct action across four 2030 targets – identifying and redefining a list of unnecessary or problem-focused plastics, 100 percent reusable or recyclable plastic packings, 50% of plastic packs to be recycled effectively, and 25 percent of recycled content across all panels

 

In all 27 companies, including major FMCG brands, producers, retailers, and recyclers such as Tata, have joined the Pact as founding members.

 

Coca Cola India, Mondelez, Godrej, Marico and ITC Consumer Products, Amazon, Hindustan Unilever and Athens.

 

The Pact was drawn up by WRAP, the WWF India and the CII as a partnership. The development was financed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), with additional funds raised by Stewart Investors to assist it.

 

Following the Pact launch in India, work between WRAP, CII and WWF-India will continue on four main actions – the drawing up of a road map for implementation; initiating 'actions groupings' to support the objectives; extending the baseline reporting process; encouraging recruiting.

 

The India Plastics Pact is the latest to be added to a growing list of agreements including European, US, Canadian, South African and Chilean initiatives.

 

WRAP's CEO, Marcus Gover, said: "What is extremely essential, with its own Plastics Pact, is that we have such such a strategic force in the region and on the world stage. The potential benefits for India from accomplishing its lofty objectives for the environment and for the economy are tremendous.

 

"We were able to contribute all the knowledge and expertise we have gathered, from CII and WWF-India to promote Plastics Pacts worldwide. We look forward to working together to make words work and put an end to the plague of plastic pollution for the good."

 

The President of WWF India, Arvind Wable, also said: 'The India Plastics Pact offers Indian businesses with a powerful forum to push forward meaningful and sustainable solutions and to speed up the transition towards a circular economy.'

 

The Deputy Director General of CII Seema Arora added: 'The Indian Plastics Pact would support the transition to a circular economy for plastics in India, via innovation, cooperation and voluntary commitments that are contextualised and driven by Indian enterprises.