Ashok Chaturvedi highlights the role of AI in flexible packaging waste

The flagship summit, being held on 30 September to 1 October 2024 at the Reliance Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India, featured industry leaders, distinguished speakers, and delegates, from over 25 countries. The event encompassed in-depth discussions and presentations on pressing topics including the evolving global packaging landscape, social responsibility, brand strategies in the FMCG sector, and recycling for circularity, amongst others.

In his keynote, Ashok Chaturvedi presented an insightful overview of the genesis and remarkable evolution of flexible packaging and the significant impact of AI on managing the problem of flexible plastic waste. He stated, “With a global population of eight-billion, we cannot ignore our reliance on flexible packaging, essential for delivering food, pharmaceutical, and other consumer products, while ensuring safety, durability, protection from contamination, safer transportation, and enhanced accessibility.”

“The need of the hour is to deploy advanced AI sorting technologies that will use sensors to separate food-grade from non-food-grade plastics. UFlex is making significant investments in these technologies, and we will be ready to showcase our MVP in the coming months. These advanced technologies will be integrated into our global recycling infrastructure, which spans India, Poland, and Mexico. We are the only company that is working within India and globally on innovative solutions in flexible MLP materials and PCR and its applications,” he added.

“By leveraging these AI technologies, we can enhance our recycling processes and contribute to a more sustainable future. The future of packaging lies in our ability to innovate sustainably and responsibly.  We invite regulators, policymakers, brand owners, and other producers to witness this technology at our facilities in early 2025. We will be happy to collaborate with the industry to scale this and deliver on our government’s EPR and sustainability goals,” he concluded.    

At the event, Jeevaraj G Pillai, director, sustainability and president, Flexible Packaging and New Product Development, UFlex, moderated an important panel discussion: Drivers, Challenges, and Barriers to Recycling: Is India Ready?

He shared insights into UFlex's sustainability initiatives, stating, “Our commitment to sustainability is not just about compliance; it is about innovating solutions that make a real impact on the environment and propel a circular economy. We promote environmentally friendly processes, evaluate the effect of raw materials on the environment, and opt for lower-emission sourcing choices in flexible packaging. We are aligning our ESG targets with efforts to mitigate global warming and have initiated a strategy for carbon offsetting through community-based and biodiversity projects.”

The summit also features specialised sessions focused on sustainability, including panel discussions that address the critical role of flexible packaging in green energy, as well as emerging film extrusion technologies and new developments. Distinguished speakers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoCF), and the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, will engage in discussions on aligning product development with circularity needs.