Amazon partners with IIT Roorkee to develop eco-friendly packaging from crop waste
Amazon and IIT Roorkee have joined forces to convert crop residues into durable, eco-friendly packaging. This initiative aims to reduce stubble burning, lower reliance on wood pulp, and create new opportunities for farmers.
Amazon India has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee to develop paper packaging from agricultural waste.
The initiative aims to convert wheat straw and bagasse into strong, lightweight, recyclable, and home-compostable mailers. By reducing dependence on virgin wood pulp, the project also addresses the pressing issue of stubble burning in India.
The research will be conducted at IIT Roorkee’s Department of Paper and Packaging Technology, led by Professor Vibhore Kumar Rastogi and Dr Anurag Kulshreshtha.
Over 15 months, the team will develop and test non-wood pulp for mailers that match conventional paper in strength and durability. If successful, Amazon will support industrial trials, process validation, and commercial production by mid to late next year.
“This collaboration between IIT Roorkee and Amazon is a step towards realising India’s vision of a circular economy,” said Professor Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee.
“By transforming agricultural residues into biodegradable packaging materials, we are addressing stubble burning and reducing reliance on virgin materials while creating scalable solutions for industries and farmers,” he added.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT
The project could provide farmers with a market for crop residues, turning waste into income.
Lightweight and compostable packaging reduces plastic consumption and supports sustainability in supply chains.
Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India, said, “India generates nearly 500 million tons of this waste annually, and by repurposing it into packaging, we can support a more circular economy while reducing reliance on conventional materials.”
AMAZON’S SUSTAINABILITY DRIVE
Amazon India has eliminated single-use plastic from packaging since 2019 and ships more than half of orders in original or reduced packaging.
Serving over 300 cities, the company targets net-zero carbon across operations by 2040 and aims to return more water to communities than it uses by 2027.
If successful, the partnership could transform crop residues from pollutants into valuable resources, offering environmental benefits and financial opportunities for farmers while advancing sustainable packaging solutions nationwide.
Amazon India has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee to develop paper packaging from agricultural waste.
The initiative aims to convert wheat straw and bagasse into strong, lightweight, recyclable, and home-compostable mailers. By reducing dependence on virgin wood pulp, the project also addresses the pressing issue of stubble burning in India.
The research will be conducted at IIT Roorkee’s Department of Paper and Packaging Technology, led by Professor Vibhore Kumar Rastogi and Dr Anurag Kulshreshtha.
Over 15 months, the team will develop and test non-wood pulp for mailers that match conventional paper in strength and durability. If successful, Amazon will support industrial trials, process validation, and commercial production by mid to late next year.
“This collaboration between IIT Roorkee and Amazon is a step towards realising India’s vision of a circular economy,” said Professor Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee.
“By transforming agricultural residues into biodegradable packaging materials, we are addressing stubble burning and reducing reliance on virgin materials while creating scalable solutions for industries and farmers,” he added.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT
The project could provide farmers with a market for crop residues, turning waste into income.
Lightweight and compostable packaging reduces plastic consumption and supports sustainability in supply chains.
Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India, said, “India generates nearly 500 million tons of this waste annually, and by repurposing it into packaging, we can support a more circular economy while reducing reliance on conventional materials.”
AMAZON’S SUSTAINABILITY DRIVE
Amazon India has eliminated single-use plastic from packaging since 2019 and ships more than half of orders in original or reduced packaging.
Serving over 300 cities, the company targets net-zero carbon across operations by 2040 and aims to return more water to communities than it uses by 2027.
If successful, the partnership could transform crop residues from pollutants into valuable resources, offering environmental benefits and financial opportunities for farmers while advancing sustainable packaging solutions nationwide.