MUMBAI: In a bid to reduce single-use plastic, Hindalco Industries Ltd. has partnered Jute Corporation of India to create recyclable packaging material.
Hindalco has launched India’s first aluminium-foil-laminated jute bags for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh.
The one of its kind aluminium foil-laminated jute bag is an ideal substitute for plastic bags used to carry the famous Laddu Prasadam. The aluminium foil lamination ensures the laddus retain freshness and aroma, and remains free from moisture and bacteria. These 100% recylable bags are expected to replace single-use plastic bags.
According to TTD offcials, “The jute and aluminium bags are a welcome alternative to plastic bags. They are an Indian innovation and an eco-friendly option for our devotees. With the high demand for prasad, the bags are a good way to reduce plastic pollution.”
Satish Pai, MD, Hindalco Industries, said, “At Hindalco, sustainability is integral to our business. The environment-friendly packaging option is another example of how Hindalco is guided by its purpose – Making Metals that are Greener, Stronger, Smarter. Going forward, we aspire to make aluminium the ‘smart metal of choice’ for our customers by showcasing it as a supermaterial, with innate properties of strength, light weight, anti-corrosion and 100% recyclability. ”
The jute cloth for the bags has been facilitated by Jute Corporation of India through its affiliate bodies. At Hindalco’s Aluminium foil manufacturing plant in Mouda, Nagpur, the jute cloth is laminated with food-grade aluminium foil, and sent to artisans in Telangana for fabricating the bags in different sizes. The bags are available at an affordable price: Rs. 25 per bag for 5 to 6 laddus; Rs. 30 per bag for 8-10 laddus; Rs. 35 per bag for 15 laddus and Rs. 55 per bag for 25 laddus.
Ajay Kumar Jolly, Chairman and Managing Director, Jute Corporation of India, remarked, “The partnership with Hindalco has been an innovative journey to find a unique and sustainable solution to plastic pollution. India’s natural materials offer tremendous scope for alternative packaging materials.”
There is a strong response to the aluminium-foil jute bags and already 60,000 bags have been sold in different sizes.
Plans are on to roll this out to other temples across India, and other industries as a smart and sustainable packaging option.
