Amazon has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) to develop packaging materials made from agricultural waste.

The online retail giant said the move will reduce the use of plastic and cut air pollution in the country.

The collaboration with the Indian university will involve a 15-month research project to identify ways to turn crop waste such as wheat, straw and sugarcane residue into paper packaging.

Amazon said these mailing materials offer customers in India a recyclable and home-compostable alternative to traditional wood pulp paper or plastic bags.

Following the research project, Amazon said industrial trials and commercial production will begin by late next year.

The process involves putting the agricultural waste in an autoclave digester to break down the raw materials to produce pulp.

The pulp is then washed and screened to remove impurities and ensure consistent quality.

The screened pulp is then used to make paper through a pressing and drying process.

Amazon said India generates around 500 million tonnes of agricultural waste every year, with usually discarded after harvest season.

The project also aims to help reduce stubble burning, the polluting practice of setting fire to leftover straw and crop residue remaining in fields after harvest.

In addition to environmental benefits, Amazon said the reduced dependency on imported virgin wood pulp will also create additional income for farmers by providing a market for agricultural residues.

As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce packaging, Amazon said it ships more than 50 per cent of all customer orders in India either in their original packaging or with reduced packaging.

Since 2019, Amazon claims it has eliminated 100 per cent of single-use plastic from its packaging across fulfilment centres across India.

“By transforming agricultural residues into biodegradable packaging materials, we are addressing the twin challenges of stubble burning and a reliance on virgin materials in India, while creating scalable solutions that can benefit industries, farmers, and society at large,” said Abhinav Singh, vice president of operations at Amazon India. “This initiative showcases how academic research and industry partnerships can accelerate India’s journey towards a more sustainable, and self-reliant future.”

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