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Bengaluru: Last week, <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="265" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> unveiled a series of new AI-powered partnerships aimed at advancing healthcare, <keyword id="19895783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="keywords">sustainability</keyword>, and agriculture in India The tech giant is collaborating with both local and international organisations to implement AI-driven solutions in <keyword id="21690244" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diabetic-retinopathy" source="keywords">diabetic retinopathy</keyword> screening, urban waste management, and agricultural development. According to Google, these announcements were made during a roundtable in Bengaluru, marking the fifth anniversary of Google's Research Lab in the city. This follows the 10th edition of the Google for India event, which showcased the potential of AI to benefit individuals, businesses, and society at large. Dr Manish Gupta, Research Director of Google DeepMind, stated, "Collaborating with key Indian organisations, our focused research in India across language understanding, healthcare, agriculture, and sustainability is helping tackle many of the country's unique challenges and creating AI-led solutions that will improve billions of lives." Google is working with <keyword id="23588208" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Forus-Health" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Forus Health" meta.hostid="265" meta.entityid="Forus Health">Forus Health</keyword> and AuroLab in India and Perceptra in Thailand to provide 6 million AI-assisted screenings for diabetic retinopathy over the next decade. These screenings aim to detect and prevent blindness in diabetic patients, particularly in resource-limited communities. The AI model has already supported over 600,000 screenings worldwide, with initial research and deployment carried out in India. Sunny Virmani, Group Product Manager, Health AI Research at Google, remarked, "From our initial research to the first patient screening in Madurai, India, we've been committed to translating AI's potential into meaningful change for people globally. And now the partnerships with Forus Health, AuroLab, and Perceptra are helping us expand on this commitment, as a global network of innovators comes together to eradicate preventable blindness due to diabetic retinopathy." Google's CircularNet, an AI-driven computer vision model for waste management, is being deployed in partnership with Bengaluru-based Saahas Zero Waste. CircularNet helps identify and sort plastic waste, facilitating recycling and reducing the strain on landfills. Powered by Google's TensorFlow, the model has shown approximately 85% accuracy in detecting plastic waste during a pilot programme, potentially boosting revenue for material recovery facilities by 10-12%. To support data-driven decision-making in agriculture, Google is also opening its Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API to developers. The API leverages satellite imagery and machine learning to provide farm-level insights, such as field boundaries, water bodies, and vegetation. The technology aims to optimise resource allocation and guide sustainable farming practices in India. (ANI)

Google announces AI-led collaborations for India's health, sustainability, and agriculture sectors

<ul><li>1.43 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT) of garbage is generated in Indian cities every day. </li><li>1.1 lakh MT of this is generally dumped in open <keyword id="1235979" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="landfills">landfills</keyword>. </li><li>This is completely unprocessed and pollutes the surrounding land, air and groundwater. </li></ul>About 1.43 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT) of <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/75-of-municipal-garbage-in-india-dumped-without-processing/articleshow/65190477.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">garbage </a> is generated in the Indian cities every day. However, only about 35,600 MT, which is a quarter of the total garbage generated, undergoes processing every day. The remaining 1.1 lakh MT is generally dumped in open landfills, which overflows and pollutes the surrounding land, air and groundwater. Out of the 35 states, only eight process more than 50% of the garbage from the cities, including <keyword id="66" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> (at 55%), and no state has been able to process all 100% of its waste until now. The state-wise data on the website of the Urban Affairs Ministry shows that some, like Arunachal Pradesh and Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli, don't process municipal garbage at all. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand are stuck at less than 10%. Chhattisgarh tops the list with 74%, followed by Telangana (67%), Sikkim (66%) and Goa (62%). These are the only four states that process more than 60% of their daily garbage. <div type="image" title="3750-01" tempid="540989" msid="65196998" hostid="261"></div>

 On the plus side, 61,846, which is three-quarters of the 84,000 municipal wards in <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, have been able to achieve 100% door-to-door waste collection. The Maharashtra Municipal Ward generates the most garbage daily at 22,570 MT, followed by Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat and Karnataka. However, the lack of proper disposal facilities nullifies the success. According to the <keyword id="6357976" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Centre-for-Science-and-Environment">Centre for Science and Environment</keyword> (<keyword id="6367898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="CSE">CSE</keyword>) that is based in Delhi, the cities are now running out of lands to dump their waste on. Therefore, they have now switched to dumping it in the ‘backyards’ of smaller towns, suburbs and villages. The CSE backs segregation at source, recycling and reusing against the centralised approach of landfills. A change in the behaviour of citizens and an approach of local <keyword id="6359012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="waste-management">waste management</keyword> solutions are needed to make it to the ideal of ‘Clean India’, says CSE.

Indian cities are failing miserably at garbage management

A report by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cse&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Centre for Science and Environment</a> (CSE) has stated Alappuzha in Kerala, Panaji and Mysuru are the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cleanest+cities+in+india&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">cleanest cities in India</a>. 
 
The survey-‘Not in my backyard’-, which is based on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=waste+management&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">solid waste management</a> practises in towns in India, placed Delhi at the "bottom of the heap". 
 "Alappuzha, Panaji and Mysuru are three of the <keyword id="3487316" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cleanest-cities-in-India">cleanest cities in India</keyword>, with municipal waste management systems that actually work. CSE rated Indian cities on their management of solid waste - metros like Delhi feature at the bottom of the heap," a latest rating by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. 
 
"This book started as a survey, we wanted to simply know which city is India's cleanest. We knew that once we found out which is the cleanest, we would also find out what makes it so. This would give us the answers for future policy," said CSE Director General Sunita Narain. 
 
Noting that the last survey to understand quantity and composition of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=garbage&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">garbage</a> was done over a decade ago, CSE said that the methodology used to calculate waste generated is to simply extrapolate an assumed quantity estimate with the population. 
 
Referring to the Department of Economic Affairs position paper on solid waste management of 2009, CSE said that urban India was already producing some 80,000 MT of waste a day. 
 
It projected that by 2047, India would be producing 260 million tonnes of waste annually needing over 1,400 sq km of landfills which is an area equal to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai put together, CSE said referring to the paper. 
 
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimates, over 90 per cent of Indian cities with a functional collection system dispose of their waste in landfills, CSE said.

These are the cleanest Indian cities, according to CSE

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amazon delivery packages from North America were found in illegal dump sites and mills in India.</li><li>Plastic waste ends up in dump sites that emit vile odors and can pollute the air, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-india-plastic-recycling-pollution/">Bloomberg</a> reports.</li></ul>Amazon consumers in the US and Canada may think that their Amazon delivery packaging will find a second life once they recycle it. But <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-india-plastic-recycling-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Bloomberg investigation</a> found that many of these plastic shipping envelopes, alongside other consumer packaging, are now ubiquitous at six illegal dump sites in the remote town of Muzaffarnagar, India — thousands of miles away from where they were discarded.It's not necessarily the fault of Amazon: Many consumers wrongly assume that packages labeled recyclable or featuring the three-arrow recycle logo are safe for recycling everywhere, but the majority of American recyclers can't process soft plastics, Bloomberg reported.As a result, plastic, like the Amazon envelopes, often gets mixed into the paper waste that is shipped to countries with lax enforcement of disposal rules, which is how the plastic can end up polluting someone's backyard on the other side of the world, per Bloomberg. Laurie Smyla, a former recycling coordinator with a degree in environmental science who is based in Sloatsburg, New York, recycled a plastic Amazon envelope that made its way to a three-acre plastic dump site in India just a few hundred feet away from the home of Bobinder Kumar and his family, Bloomberg found. "I feel betrayed as a consumer," Smyla told Bloomberg. "That recycling symbol — it's all a marketing feel-good message and very deceptive. It should not be harming other people in other parts of the world."Kumar said that the site is flooded with Amazon's blue-and-white shipping envelopes and that the packaging emits a vile odor."We can't escape the smell of the trash, even in our home," Kumar told Bloomberg. "It's very terrible to live close to the site, but what can we do?"Amazon delivery packaging was also found mixed in with materials processed at sugar cane and paper mills in Muzaffarnagar, according to Bloomberg. Burning plastic, like the packaging, releases toxic chemicals like mercury and dioxins into the atmosphere, which can cause harm to humans, agriculture, and animals.Residents of Muzaffarnagar told Bloomberg that they know when plastic is burnt while they are asleep because they wake up to find sheets of ash covering their terraces and crops. Muzaffarnagar's chief medical officer said that air pollution and the burning of plastic are linked to a 30% uptick in respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis among the town's residents, Bloomberg reported. Often times, waste is transferred from wealthy countries to less wealthy ones with the help of brokers who charge a fee to throw away trash or buy the trash at a cheap rate to sell across borders, Bloomberg reported. These brokers have alleged links to criminal gangs and fraudsters.Bloomberg's findings come three years after the Indian government lifted its ban on importing plastic waste due to the country's waste shortage, <a href="https://www.indiatimes.com/explainers/news/government-allows-import-of-plastic-waste-565972.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the India Times reported.</a>The findings pose a challenge to <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60624-20&amp;postID=63ab09363864673035143f6e&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fsustainability.aboutamazon.com%2Fenvironment%2Fpackaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon's sustainability commitments</a> to increase the recyclability of its delivery packages and to reduce its waste. Last year, the company generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste, according to a <a href="https://oceana.org/press-releases/report-amazons-plastic-packaging-waste-jumped-18-to-709-million-pounds-in-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report by international environmental group Oceana,</a> and it used 97,222 metric tons of single-use plastic across Amazon-owned and operated global fulfillment centers, the company said.In 2021, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-return-program-cut-wasted-destroyed-inventory-from-unsold-products-2021-8">Amazon announced programs</a> to sell returned items as "used" and for vendors to sell their overstocked inventory in bulk as part of its pledge to prevent millions of its products from entering the landfill.While Amazon didn't respond to Insider's request for comment on its packaging being found in Muzaffarnagar, a company spokesperson told Insider in a statement that it "is committed to minimizing waste and helping our customers recycle their packaging.""Since 2015, we have invested in materials, processes, and technologies that have reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 38% and eliminated over 1.5 million tons of packaging material," the spokesperson said.The spokesperson also referred Insider to <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?amazonTrackingID=biauto-60624-20&amp;postID=63ab09363864673035143f6e&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Famsc%3Fref_%3Dnavm_em__amsc_hamburger_0_1_1_55" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon Second Chance</a>, a guide for customers to understand how to recycle their Amazon packaging. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-india-plastic-recycling-pollution/">Here is the full report from Bloomberg.</a>

Amazon's plastic packaging was reportedly found thousands of miles away at illegal dump sites in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A massive mountain of trash in India caught fire last week, cloaking a city in a layer of toxic smoke.</li><li>Some firefighters battling the blaze have passed out after inhaling the fumes, per CNN.</li></ul>A massive trash mountain in Kochi, India, caught fire six days ago, and more than 600,000 people are now dealing with the thick layer of smoke blanketing their city. The 16-acre Brahmapuram waste plant — which <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/kochi-brahmapuram-waste-treatment-plant-fire-breakouts-an-annual-phenomenon/article66579717.ece">contains large amounts of plastic waste</a> — caught fire on Thursday evening, per <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/07/india/india-bhramapuram-landfill-toxic-waste-fire-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. The blaze resulted in a thick layer of smoke over Kochi, a city in the coastal Kerala state. People have been advised to stay indoors and use N-95 masks if they need to go outside, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-64835273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a> reported.A <a href="https://twitter.com/Manojexpress/status/1631969794684776451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a> from Manoj Viswanathan, journalist with The New India Express, showed an aerial view of thick smoke billowing out from the landfill. "Tripunithura feels like a gas chamber now, thanks to the Brahmapuram fire," a <a href="https://twitter.com/Anandans76/status/1632187683169779712" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet from local journalist S. Anandan</a> read. Anandan included in his tweet two pictures showing Kochi cloaked in a nearly-opaque blanket of smoke.The toxic haze lingering over the Kochi has also affected firefighters. At least 20 people from the fire department developed breathing problems after battling the blaze, per <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/toxic-fumes-engulf-kochi-3-days-fire-brahmapuram-waste-plant-8480517/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Indian Express.</a> Some firefighters have also passed out after inhaling the fumes, CNN reported, citing information from the local fire department.About 100 metric tons of plastic garbage gets added to the landfill daily, according to a <a href="https://www.ieup.eu/assets/knowledge-bank/230220210.43935800%201614067870.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020 study</a> by the International Urban Cooperation, a program linked to the European Union.The Kochi state government said in a <a href="https://theprint.in/india/brahmapuram-fire-under-control-no-need-for-concern-kerala-govt/1419911/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Sunday that the blaze is under control. The fire department in Kochi did not immediately respond to Insider's questions on whether the fire has been put out.The local government has set aside 100 beds in a public hospital in Kochi to treat patients suffering from smoke inhalation, Veena George, Kerala's health minister, told <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/toxic-fumes-engulf-kochi-3-days-fire-brahmapuram-waste-plant-8480517/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/toxic-fumes-engulf-kochi-3-days-fire-brahmapuram-waste-plant-8480517/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Indian Express</a>. This is not the first trash mountain in India that has caught fire. The country has seen a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delhi-garbage-mountain-landfill-ragpickers-2022-7">string of landfill fires</a> in the last year. In March, one of Delhi's tallest trash mountains, the Ghazipur landfill, caught fire. The nearly 20-story-tall garbage pile burned for two days, per <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/30/india/india-delhi-ghazipur-landfill-fire-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. And in April, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delhi-garbage-mountain-landfill-ragpickers-2022-7">fire</a> also broke out in the 36-acre Bhalswa landfill in Delhi, per <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/9-days-on-delhis-bhalswa-landfill-still-on-fire-dfs-says-longest-operation-yet-7901842/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Indian Express</a>.Representatives at the Kerala Fire Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

A trash mountain in India the size of 12 football fields caught fire. The toxic fumes from the burning heap are making firefighters faint.

<ul><li>After the global pandemic, <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> and health seem to have become important factors for consumers.</li><li>According to Capgemini’s recent report, consumers engage more readily with brands and retailers that they perceive to be sustainable and genuinely committed to green practices.</li><li>The report found that 48% of consumers share an emotional connection with products or organizations that demonstrate eco-friendly qualities.</li><li>As we move forward this year and health concerns and sustainability continue influencing consumer decisions, we speak to brands, research and design agencies about how brands can integrate sustainability into their core values and move beyond mere lip-service.</li></ul>It might be a new year but the world continues to grapple with familiar challenges and threats: we are on the verge of entering the third wave of COVID-19, the country’s capital, New Delhi is currently facing alarmingly high levels of indoor air pollution and Uttarakhand's forest fires emitted nearly 0.2 megatonnes of carbon in the past one month, a record since 2003 (CAMS report). So 2022 will clearly be a busy year for brands as consumers get more serious about climate change and expect brands to increase their focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature. While businesses exist to make money, Manish Chowdhary, Co-CEO, Body Cupid Pvt Limited says that there are two ways to do that. He explained, “One is sustainable, by keeping other living and non-living things in mind. The other one is inspired by greed. So no matter how small a brand’s effort may be, it has to be aligned with sustainability if the brand wants to continue in the long run. Brands exist for consumers and it is important that we listen to what they want.” From driving workforce diversity to taking a stand on climate change, there’s a definite change that has taken place in consumer expectations. In the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest decision-making factors for consumers, and more so after the pandemic. They have realised that mother earth has suffered enough. In this digital world, consumers are demanding more transparency and are quick to call out greenwashing. They are expecting to see concrete actions. And as Chowdhary said, it has become imperative for brands to listen to what consumers want because they exist to serve consumers. Today’s consumers are not only pivoting towards more sustainable products but are also willing to pay a premium for them. Gen Z and Millennials lead all other age groups in this respect. When shopping for groceries, 72% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic foods and in fact, did so the last time they were grocery shopping, compared to 56% of Boomers, found Capgemini. Its recent report said that 80% of consumers want to contribute to the fight to save the planet for future generations. And it is not just a phase. 70% of consumers agreed that post-pandemic, they will be more careful in terms of maintaining and protecting their personal health. Covid has only reminded us that there is a long way to go on sustainability. On how the pandemic has altered consumer behaviour, Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor and Fitch said, “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumer behaviour. An IBM study shows that 93% of consumers have changed their views on sustainability after the pandemic. This is totally understandable. The horrid virus which came out of nowhere has ravaged lives, ruined livelihoods. The only silver lining is that it has woken us up to the paramount importance of our own health and wellbeing and that of our Mother Earth. Sustainability is now a definitive transformative force that will upend existing industries and create new ones. If digital transformation was the buzzword in corporate boardrooms, ECG will take centre stage in the coming decade.” But what exactly is a sustainable brand? Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder and Director, Elephant Design defines it as, “A brand that values ethical sourcing and supply chains, is inclusive, and follows environment-friendly processes and materials while staying viable for its stakeholders is qualified to be labelled as a sustainable brand.” Kartik Johari, VP, Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene believes that in the coming months, people will start to question what is sustainable and what is not along with how we can continue to reduce our carbon footprint across all aspects of our lives. He said, “Consumers at the end of it are people and they expect what is good. The ‘brand promise’ is essential to them. Now, alongside they are also making space for the environment due to excellent work by activists and journalists around the world. You will remember, for example, that riveting photo of a straw stuck in a turtle's nose. How many millions of turtles have we lost to this? Yet it took just that one photo to break through the global psyche. Now straws are the Number One environmental enemy. But this does not mean the onus should be entirely on people to choose better! Companies have to improve their offering. And that is correct for consumers to expect. Moreover, important to note, there are some 50 or 60 companies in the world, which are responsible for majority of emissions. Strong regulations on them can solve what collectively 500 million people may have to do. But who’s going to bell the cat? As Mr Musk rightly has been saying that, give the solar industry the same amount of subsidies, for a year, that you give to oil and gas, and see the amount of transformative change it brings! The onus cannot be on that one little end consumer and their war to save their environment.” During the pandemic, brands like WOW Skin Science, Diageo and Dettol launched eco-friendly packaging to test the waters, indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. Big FMCG companies such as Marico, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro also announced in 2020 that they will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. Joining the bandwagon, the Indian Government has also started its efforts towards reducing our country’s carbon footprint. Currently, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after the US and China. According to an Assocham and PwC report, landfills are brimming with so much urban waste that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that's the size of its capital, New Delhi. And consumers aren’t ignoring these horrifying numbers anymore. Elysha Young, Trends Manager, Mintel APAC said, "India’s Prime Minister has pledged it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, backed by aggressive 2030 targets. By laying the groundwork in the form of policies, India is signaling that it is open and willing to support innovation around sustainability, and indeed that carbon-emitting industries will no longer be tolerated. This presents an opportunity for global companies looking to tap into India's vast population but also issues a challenge to foreign and domestic companies to ensure they are cutting emissions throughout their value chain. It's in India's self-interest to stem global warming, with the nation of 1.3 billion people being one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The nature of the short-term targets means that action will need to be taken immediately, which will see a strong focus on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as the batteries needed to store such energy. Companies would do well to look at the emissions within their own value chains and determine where cuts can be made. Communicating these to consumers will help them to make choices that align with the national strategy; the opportunity exists to ensure consumers feel like they're also doing their bit." In 2022, brands that snooze will definitely lose More and more consumers are becoming aware of their choices and realising that whether it is a worn-out piece of mask they decide to throw or a sanitary napkin or even as simple as a plain t-shirt, never really goes ‘away.’ It all ends up in a landfill. Human activities are clearly harming the global environment and brands have no choice but to migrate to sustainable solutions and work towards building a circular economy. So, in 2022, if brands don’t switch, they lose consumers, investors, and all stakeholders. Chowdhary said, “At the industry level, there is nothing without sustainability. The consumers of today are conscious and aware. They know the choices they are making. So if companies &amp; brands do not opt for sustainable practices, eventually the smart consumers are going to make a switch. We can only expect the awareness to grow and actions to increase, especially with the challenges that our planet is facing today.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide sees sustainability as one of the big topics in 2022 – right from fashion, green products, green living to electric vehicles, every category will be touched by sustainability filter. She said, “If the brands have already not made sustainability part of their commitment in any form yet, it’s high time they join the eco-wakening movement. Consumers are already looking for some form of reassurance or the other from brands in terms of conscious behaviour, as consumers are at different stages of adoption – it is a mix of curious, concerned, and advocates. At the very least, they are looking to not feel guilty about consuming the brand. Conscious living, mindful living, Green living, purposeful living are all the buzz words in communications today. For brands it is inevitable to have sustainability as a larger goal.” It is not just the environment and consumers who benefit from eco-friendly practices, businesses with low carbon footprints are more likely to have a better brand image and can easily woo consumers. Deep Bajaj, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Sirona Hygiene said, “Companies are realizing that being conscious of their environmental impact can benefit them in every manner possible. Consumers desire sustainability owing to the ailing earth. Companies that work to become more environmentally responsible, not only contribute to a better future, but also establish a progressive brand image, happier employees, and a loyal client base. Consumers are real people who are affected by real environmental issues on a daily basis. They are aware that it is no longer limited to textbooks and that industrial activities have a direct impact on their daily lives. As a result, what goes into the making of a product and what goes inside it is extremely important to them. Other than environmental consciousness, they expect transparency from brands.” While brands in India have already started taking baby steps towards converting their business into a sustainable choice for consumers, we will get to witness more demonstrable actions in 2022. And those who fail to prioritise mother earth, will have to face consumers’ wrath. Deshpande said, “The emerging consumer base of millennials &amp; Gen Z is not a forgiving lot when it comes to ethics or ecology being compromised by a brand. But others are not quite as aware and may base their decision only on factors like price or convenience above sustainability. There is no choice. It is a survival mandate for a brand to become sustainable. Otherwise, we will see every resource being depleted in the next few decades.” Kantar BrandZ data shows that brands with weak purpose grow 70% but brands with strong purpose grow 175%. At the same time, India is still a price-sensitive country and consumers stick to the convenience of buying what you are used to. So, on how brands can move beyond mere lip-service and greenwashing this year, Raghvan suggested, “Use innovation to develop products developed against that purpose. Embrace design thinking across the board. Embed a new mindset deeply in the culture and transform from within. Communicate and evangelise with consumers." In 2022, experts are confident that brands will embrace sustainability that will benefit people, planet and profit.

Is 2022 the year when Indian brands will get more serious about sustainability?

<ul><li><keyword id="45009" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unilever">Unilever</keyword> is working with global recycling organisations to help ensure that the <keyword id="11282037" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-tubes">new tubes</keyword> are collected and recycled. </li><li>After four years of development, the recyclable tubes will be available later this year in two of Unilever’s biggest oral care markets: India and France.</li></ul>Unilever’s <keyword id="478832" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="oral-care-brands">oral care brands</keyword> including Signal, Pepsodent and Closeup have announced plans to convert their entire global toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2025. After four years of development, the recyclable tubes will be available later this year in two of Unilever’s biggest oral care markets: India and France. First launching in France with the company’s leading oral care brand Signal, the new tubes will be rolled out across its biggest range, Integral 8, which represents over a third (35%) of Unilever’s toothpaste portfolio in the country. Traditionally, most toothpaste tubes are made from a combination of plastic and aluminium, which gives the packaging its flexibility but also makes it difficult to recycle. Instead of aluminium, the new tubes will use a material made mostly of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), which is one of the most widely recyclable plastics globally. It will also be the thinnest plastic material available on the toothpaste market at 220-microns, which will reduce the amount of plastic needed for each tube. To encourage wider industry change, the innovation will be made available for other companies to adopt. <keyword id="303614" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Samir-Singh">Samir Singh</keyword>, Executive Vice President, Global Skin Cleansing and Oral Care said: “Plastic pollution is undoubtably one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. We can see its impact on our planet every day, including the billions of toothpaste tubes dumped into landfills every year. That’s why I’m proud of this latest packaging innovation which will see our entire toothpaste portfolio shift to recyclable tubes by 2025. It’s been a long and challenging journey to get to this point, but we hope this transformation will inspire the wider industry to also make the change.” The design has been approved by RecyClass, which sets the recyclability standard for Europe, as well as laboratories in Asia and North America. Meeting these rigorous requirements mean the new tubes can be recycled within standard HDPE recycling streams. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Working in partnership to drive innovation" text="Working in partnership to drive innovation">Working in partnership to drive innovation</cmsannotation> Unilever’s oral care brands partnered with multiple global packaging manufacturers including EPL (formerly Essel Propack), Amcor, Huhtamaki and Dai Nippon Indonesia (DNPI). In addition, formulation and flavour experts at Unilever were essential throughout the testing process to ensure the new tubes continued to protect the quality and taste of the product. Babu Cherian, R&amp;D Oral Care Packaging Director at Unilever said: “Recyclable tubes mark a key milestone in our packaging journey and, more significantly, they have the potential to transform the whole oral care industry. Together with our manufacturing partners, we’re making the new design available to any producers interested in adopting the new material, with the ambition to accelerate industry change.” Alan Conner, Vice President - Europe, EPL (formerly Essel Propack) said: “When it comes to making oral care sustainable, it has been challenging to develop a product that is recyclable without adding extra plastic to the tube. EPL is a global market leading supplier of toothpaste tubes and is delighted to support this breakthrough innovation representing a major turning point for the oral care industry and is a key first step in reducing plastic waste, enabling consumers to minimise their impact on the planet. Given the size and scale of Unilever, their commitment to convert 100% of its global toothpaste portfolio by 2025 will unquestionably lead others to take action as well.” To drive further change across the waste management industry, Unilever is working with global recycling organisations to help ensure that the new tubes are collected and recycled. This will be the case in France, where consumers can put the new tubes in their home recycling bin ready to be collected and turned into new products. This is only the start of Unilever’s oral care journey. Brands including Signal also plan to introduce more PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic into their recyclable tubes by 2022 in France and other European markets. This will significantly reduce the use of virgin plastic and support the move towards a circular economy. More broadly, the innovation contributes to Unilever’s commitment to ensure that 100% of its plastic packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, and its ambition to help collect and process more plastic packaging that it sells.

Unilever will soon introduce recyclable toothpaste tubes in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A few states and some countries are passing laws to combat plastic waste.</li><li><keyword id="11892889" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="california" source="Orion">California</keyword> is the fourth US state that will make companies pay for packaging waste.</li></ul>The first half of 2022 has seen a wave of new policies cracking down on <keyword id="12318689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="plastic-pollution" source="Orion">plastic pollution</keyword> in the US and countries like <keyword id="6356687" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="canada" source="Orion">Canada</keyword> and <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. In recent weeks, California became the fourth state that will force companies to pay for cleaning up packaging waste, while Canada and India have banned the production and import of certain <keyword id="14446315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="single-use-plastic" source="Orion">single-use plastic</keyword> products. Advocates say the momentum feels like a turning point in the global fight to eliminate the eight million metric tons of plastic waste <a href="https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/">that flows into oceans each year</a>. According to the United Nations, this is the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck every minute. The vast majority of plastic never gets recycled and ends up in landfills, in incinerators, or as litter on land and in waterways. The US <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/26132/chapter/1">is the world's largest contributor</a> to the problem despite representing <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/">less than 5% of the global population</a>."The public is increasingly making the connection between plastic and so many other issues, which is expanding the coalition of groups and individuals who care deeply about this," Anja Brandon, a US plastics-policy analyst at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, said. "That, in turn, is expanding the number of policymakers who recognize plastic pollution as critically important." Brandon said those connections include how plastic is made from the fossil fuels that drive the climate crisis. Local governments in the US often build plastic-manufacturing plants, landfills, and incinerators <a href="https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2022/05/tishman-environment-and-design-centers-work-reveals-most-incinerators-pollute-low-income-and-communities-of-color-and-worsen-climate-change/">in marginalized communities</a>, which then disproportionately expose these communities to pollution. Researchers are also discovering tiny particles of plastic — known as microplastics — <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-detected-in-human-blood-180979826/">in human blood</a> and stool, raising questions about potential health effects.The <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> push has led some big brands and plastic makers to promise to make more recyclable or compostable packaging and to channel money toward local infrastructure so producers can get their materials back and reuse them. "We're investing in new technology to make sure the percent of recycled content in packaging increases and designing things to be lighter," Jen Ronk, the senior sustainability manager at Dow North America Packaging &amp; Specialty Plastics, said. The company <a href="http://www.businessfor2030.org/dow">also pledged to spend more than $1 billion</a> on efforts to manage plastic waste. Here's a rundown of the latest action: <h2>California</h2>On June 30, California Gov. Gavin Newsom <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB54">signed the most aggressive restrictions</a> on plastic in the country into law. By 2032, producers must use 25% less plastic in packaging for items like shampoo, food containers, and cups. Ocean Conservancy estimates that this provision alone will <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/news/sb54-california-righting-ship-leading-u-s-ocean-plastic-pollution-crisis/">reduce plastic production by 23 million tons</a>, or 26 times the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge. By the same date, at least 65% of plastic must be recycled, a major jump from the <a href="https://sd26.senate.ca.gov/index.php/news/press-release/senator-allen-introduces-bill-phase-out-unsustainable-single-use-plastics">less than 15% that is recycled today</a>. "We know that to reduce the plastic-pollution crisis, we have to make less in the first place and reuse more through a circular economy," Brandon said, adding that the <keyword id="14446313" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="california-law" source="Orion">California law</keyword> is the first to address both sides of that equation. Plastic makers will pay $5 billion into a state fund to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of pollution from their products, as well. The industry will pay for collecting, sorting, and recycling waste through a fee on packaging, which will shift the burden away from taxpayers who now fund municipal-waste management. That policy, known as extended-producer responsibility, has picked up steam over the last year as Maine, Oregon, and most recently <keyword id="11918419" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="colorado" source="Orion">Colorado</keyword>, passed similar legislation. <h2>Colorado </h2>In June, the state passed its own extended-producer responsibility law that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colorado-to-tax-bottles-and-packaging-for-recycling-2022-6">slaps a fee on packaging such as bottles, food wrappers, and cardboard</a> to help fund recycling and keep waste out of landfills. Colorado's statewide <a href="https://cdphe.colorado.gov/colorado-recycling-totals">recycling rate for all materials is 15%</a>, less than half the national average of 32%. The law itself doesn't set mandatory recycling targets, but brands and packaging makers have to develop some for 2030 after they form a nonprofit to run the new recycling program.The law got rare public endorsements from big business, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Walmart. They joined forces with environmental groups like Recycle Colorado, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Sierra Club. <h2>Canada</h2><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/single-use-plastic-guidance.html">On June 22, the government announced</a> it would ban companies from making and importing certain single-use plastics by the end of the year as part of a sweeping effort to fight pollution and the climate crisis.Most plastic grocery bags, silverware, and straws fall under the ban, with a few exceptions for medical needs. According to the government, Canadians throw away more than 3 million tons of plastic waste every year and the country only recycles about 9% of it. "Companies don't make Canada-specific packaging or US-state specific packaging," Brandon said. "They are trying to maximize efficiency in a globalized supply chain, so these policies will have far-reaching ripple effects."<h2>India </h2>On July 1, India's government announced a ban on single-use plastics covering 19 items that are most likely to wind up as litter, such as straws, cups, and some disposable bags. The ban makes it illegal to make or import these products.According to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/07/01/1109476072/india-plastics-ban-begins">the Associated Press</a>, thousands of other plastic items aren't covered, though the federal government has set recycling targets for manufacturers. According to its federal pollution watchdog, India generated more than 4.1 million metric tons of plastic waste in 2020. This decade the country is also trying to reduce the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product — known as carbon intensity — by 45%. Curbing plastic manufacturing can help India meet that target, said advocates of the ban.

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