Union Minister of State (Independent Representative) for Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Representative) for Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today approved an initial loan of Rs 1.15 crore to M/s TGP Bioplastics for commercialization of ‘compostable’ plastics and thereby reduce the use of single-use plastics (SUP).
An MoU has been signed between the Technology Development Board, a statutory body of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and M/s TGP Bioplastics Private Limited, Satara, Maharashtra, for the production and commercialization of compostable plastics. Dr. Jitendra was informed that the StartUp has come up with an alternative solution to Single Use Plastic (SUP) with a prototype compostable plastic material that decomposes as compost in the soil without affecting the environment. This unique project received seed funding from NIDHI Prayas (DST), Niti Aayog and UNIDO for prototype development.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to phase out single-use plastic items, India has banned the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items that have low usability. and the high potential of littering across the country on July 1, 2022. The minister said the concept of compostable plastics will be expanded with additional government support to drive global action against plastic pollution.
Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that the production and commercialization of compostable plastics by TGP Bioplastics is also doing well with the ongoing Nationwide Coastal Clean Up campaign launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences from July 5, 2022. He said that a 75-day campaign has been launched to create awareness about ‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’ and will culminate in ‘International Coastal Cleanup Day’ on September 17, 2022, when 75,000 people, students, civil society members and environmental activists, among others, will be mobilized to achieve the target of removing 1,500 tonnes of garbage, mostly plastic on single use from sea shores.
Adverse effects of single-use plastic
Dr Jitendra Singh said the adverse effects of single-use plastic (SUP) discards are recognized globally and the Government of India is taking decisive steps to mitigate the pollution caused by single-use plastics. He said that even during the 5th session of the UN Environment Assembly in March 2022, India engaged constructively with all member states to build consensus on a resolution that would lead to global action against plastic pollution. The Government of India through the Central Pollution Control Board has taken measures to create awareness about the urgent need to eliminate SUP and has brought together entrepreneurs (startups, SMEs, other industries), central, state and local governments, regulatory bodies, citizens, R&D and academic institutions .
Currently, there are very few degradable materials/composites available on the market. Most of them cost more than Rs. 280/kg for raw materials. The cheapest degradable polymer today is polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), which is available at Rs. 280-300/kg while common plastic raw materials cost around Rs. 90/kg. The willingness of the market for degradable plastics is therefore less. To solve this problem, StartUp has developed a new composite material that is cheaper than available compostable plastic (~Rs 180/kg) and has comparable strength.
The composite is a unique mixture of thermoplastic starch (TPS)-glycerin with some chemical modifications that provides higher strength at low production costs. Granules prepared from this composite can be shaped into any shape and used as required, and after being thrown away, it further decomposes into natural substances. With funding from TDB, the company is targeting a production capacity of 880 MT per year to provide compostable packaging solutions in the context of the national need to phase out non-compostable SUP.
Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, IP&TAFS, TDB said that, “The Prime Minister emphasized that plastics are non-biodegradable and are threatening to become a threat to humanity and are already having a deadly impact on our land, sea and water ecosystem. The idea of ​​producing “degradable compostable plastic” is therefore the technology of the “necessary hour”. With TDB’s support of M/s TGP Bioplastics, India is one step closer to providing a domestic alternative solution to ‘SUP’ and achieving India’s nation’s ‘No Single Use Plastics’ commitment.
