InnoWin | From The Desk of Suranjana Ghosh, Head of MIF

Hi,

We are interrupting InnoWin’s regular format for the October edition. Instead of ideas by industry veterans across domains of entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability, I want to take this opportunity to announce a noteworthy partnership.

On September 10, 2024, Re Sustainability, Asia’s leading integrated sustainability solutions provider, and Sharrp Ventures, the investment office of the Harsh Mariwala family, launched a pioneering plastics circularity initiative aimed at sorting and recycling 32,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually while reducing 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

In some ways, this initiative is the outcome of Marico Innovation Foundation’s one-of-a-kind playbook launched in 2023 to address plastic waste and the innovations in the sector, which highlighted the urgent need for a resilient circular economy for plastics in India. Since then, and going forward, MIF will play a vital role in catalysing this venture, drawing on its work and networks with innovators in the plastic recycling space.

The Crux Of It

A major focus of this initiative is the production of high-quality polyolefins for the FMCG industry at the end of the recycling process. In recent years, the FMCG sector in India has struggled to source high-grade recycled materials. One reason is the mixing of plastics, like those used in, say, beverage containers, with household waste due to poor segregation at the source. Once mixed, it is challenging and uneconomical for recyclers to separate them, leading to the down-cycling of valuable materials into lower-quality products like buckets or mugs. This initiative aims to break that cycle by ensuring effective segregation and processing, ultimately producing over 9,000 tonnes of high-quality recycled polymers annually.

This will help FMCG companies reduce their reliance on virgin plastics while ensuring that their packaging needs are met with sustainable alternatives. The availability of these premium recycled granules is essential for FMCG companies to transition toward a circular economy and a smaller environmental footprint without compromising product quality.

Base Camps

We will be kicking the initiative off in two cities: Hyderabad and Raipur. Hyderabad, a bustling metropolis, with a population of ~10 million, generates vast amounts of plastic waste, making it an ideal location for demonstrating the effectiveness of advanced recycling technologies. Raipur, a smaller urban centre with a population of ~1 million, faces unique challenges with limited infrastructure for waste management, offering an opportunity to test scalable solutions in more resource-constrained settings. By first implementing the project in these cities, we will be developing fresh infrastructure and solutions that can be scaled to address diverse waste management issues in cities across India and, eventually, across regions of the Global South.

Looking Ahead

I believe this initiative has the potential to redefine the future of waste management. It will use cutting-edge AI-driven technologies, including automatic sorting systems powered by Ishitva Robotics Systems, to ensure that no waste is touched by hand. This means a safer, more efficient process, one that sets a new benchmark for both environmental and human health. We’re also integrating complete digital traceability, ensuring full transparency and accountability across the value chain.

People First

As the head of an organisation working at the intersection of innovation and technology, I am acutely aware that real transformation happens only when communities get involved. In the first phase, the initiative will create over 370 direct jobs, with a strong focus on female employment, aiming to fill 75% of these roles with women. Indirectly, it will impact 2,000 livelihoods, further embedding social inclusion into the core of the project.

In parallel, we hope to effect social and behavioural change among local communities and the youth, emphasising the link between effective recycling and proper waste segregation—because the quality of recycled materials is directly tied to how waste is sorted.

Team MIF and I are immensely proud of this collaboration and its vision and I am personally quite excited about the change it represents—not only for the environment but also for the communities and industries that stand to gain the most from this initiative.

Keep an eye out for regular updates on the initiative. Big things are coming!

Suranjana Ghosh

Head, Marico Innovation Foundation