Centre eyes eco-friendly sachets to tackle plastic litter surge

small packs also represent one of the largest sources of plastic litter, as their size and multi-layered composition make them extremely difficult to collect and recycle.This comes against the backdrop of the government’s ban on single-use plastic and assumes significance as India generates around 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. Of this, around 40% of plastic waste is littered and remains uncollected.Sachets are used across many product categories including personal care items such as shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, face wash, body wash, pan masala, gutkha, instant coffee, spices, sauces, dairy whitener, detergent powder, dishwashing liquid and floor cleaners.Pan masala and gutkha are widely consumed across India and largely sold in small sachets (typically under 10 g).

Designed for strength, moisture protection and shelf life, these sachets are among the highest-volume single-use packaging formats, with tens of billions produced annually.“Manufacturers shifted to multi-layered paper-based laminates to comply, but these sachets remain non-biodegradable and difficult to collect or recycle due to their small size and mixed materials,” the first person said, adding that many end up as litter in streets, drains, fields and water bodies. “The continued use of plastic-based adhesives, especially in the informal sector, further weakens the rules.”“This calls for biodegradable, plastic-free and scalable sachet alternatives for pan masala, gutkha and other consumer goods widely used in sachets.”Queries sent to the department of consumer affairs, and packaged goods makers such as Procter and Gamble, Hindustan Unilever and ITC remained unanswered till press time.A