Paper recycling makes ITC negative waste producer

Indian conglomerate ITC said the volume of its paperboard recycling business has now exceeded the volume of its waste production, making the company a net waste consumer.

The company produces 160,000 metric tons (176,370 U.S. tons) of paperboard annually but is seeking to expand that to 170,000 to respond to growing demand.

ITC recycles its own and other companies' paper waste and has launched a campaign to encourage recycling in India.

But there's significant room for improvement. India recycles about 20 percent of its paper, comapred to more than 60 percent in Europe and the U.S. As a result, ITC imports 20,000 metric tons of paper to recycle.

"There is a need to create awareness among people in order to procure more raw materials for recycled paper and paperboards from within the country," ITC spokesman R. Srinivasan told the Hindu Business Line.

Indian officials are also pushing for increased recycling of electronics (see E-waste growing 10% a year in India).

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