The Indian government plans to scrap single-use plastic like pouches by 2022 as part of its ‘Plastic Waste Management Rules’ launched in 2016 and is phasing out multi-layered plastic, which is non-recyclable.
Circular Economy
“We know about our responsibilities towards the industry, end consumers and the environment,” said Alexander Baumgartner, CEO, Constantia Flexibles.
“We are not only focusing on developing more environmentally friendly packaging, we designed the first plant in the world dedicated to produce sustainable packaging. The plant named Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad is located in Gujarat in India, which is the perfect market to implement such a forward-looking project.”
Baumgartner said the decision to open a plant in India was straightforward, given its ‘Plastic Waste Management Rules’. The Indian government can exert pressure on the recycling economy and it supports initiatives and companies that advocate for less waste.
EcoLam is a lightweight Mono-PE laminate suitable for a variety of packaging applications.
Due to its mono-material structure, it is fully recyclable, and its carbon footprint is approximately 32% lower than that of comparable products. The EcoLam family comes in different barrier grades (EcoLam, EcoLamPlus, EcoLamHighPlus) to deliver the barrier needs for a range of products.
After a construction time of more than two years, Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad started test runs in September 2019. The plant has an area of 24,500m², with 50 staff and plans to triple this by Q2, 2020.
Ecolutions
More than 300 guests attended the opening last month, including the Austrian ambassador to India, Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer, and RS Sodhi, MD, Amul industries.
“With Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad, we are making a big step towards more sustainable packaging. This is not only a great progress in terms of sustainability for Constantia Flexibles but also the entire packaging industry,” added Baumgartner.
The plant includes technology that produces EcoLam called Ecolutions and, even thought the Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad is in India, it will supply customers worldwide.
Baumgartner said, as the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy stipulates all plastic must be recyclable by 2030, Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad will help the industry fulfil the legal requirements and at the same time, create products that appeal to the growing number of consumers who care about sustainability.