Amazon works with IIT Roorkee to convert agricultural waste into biodegradable paper mailers, addressing stubble burning problems while creating sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging.
India generates 500 million tonnes of agricultural waste every year but a collaboration between Amazon and IIT Roorkee is turning it into more sustainable packaging. By developing packaging material from waste, the research project aims to reduce pressure on virgin wood pulp, a resource made directly from freshly cut-down trees.
The 15-month research project will convert crop waste like wheat, straw, and sugarcane residue into high quality paper mailers. These lightweight yet strong packaging materials offer a recyclable and home-compostable alternative to traditional wood pulp paper or plastic bags.This innovative approach to packaging also helps reduce stubble burning, the highly-polluting practice of setting fire to leftover straw and crop residue remaining in fields after harvest.
In addition to environmental benefits, a reduced dependency on imported virgin wood pulp will also create additional income for farmers by providing a market for agricultural residues.“At Amazon, we are building and managing India’s fastest, safest, and most reliable operations network, and we’re committed to making it more sustainable. As part of this effort, we’re partnering with IIT Roorkee to develop innovative packaging from crop residue,” says Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India.