In the world's top plastic-polluting country, one entrepreneur is transforming overlooked industrial plastic waste into viable, more sustainable packaging — and helping reshape an industry.
In 2020, Delhi entrepreneur Mohd Suhail founded Athar Packaging Solutions to help tackle India's plastic waste crisis. The company turns industrial plastic discards into more sustainable plastic packaging, including food packaging and resealable paper pouches. In the last three years, the company has recycled over 220 tons of industrial plastic waste into packaging.
"While most packaging companies rely on up to 70% virgin plastic in their products, our startup takes a bold step by recycling 95% of plastic waste," Suhail told The Better India in a recent profile of the company. "This not only helps reduce the strain on landfills but also lowers the environmental impact of their production process."
Unlike most plastic recycling efforts that rely on post-consumer waste, Athar Packaging Solutions sources its raw material from local plastic manufacturers. Industrial plastic waste — including plastic scraps, cut-offs, and rejected materials — is a type of unseen plastic pollution. It's typically discarded during the manufacturing process, never actually reaching consumers.
India leads the world in plastic waste production, generating about 11.2 million tons annually. That accounts for nearly one-fifth of all global plastic production and more than twice that of Nigeria, the second-largest contributor at 3.85 million tons.
Against this backdrop of staggering waste, Suhail's focus on industrial discards — an often-ignored source of pollution — is especially notable. But pairing with major plastic producers wasn't a simple process. Suhail told The Better India that it was difficult to convince companies to provide their plastic waste for recycling.
"Initially, these companies were hesitant to share their plastic waste data with me, and they preferred the easier route of sending their waste to landfills," he said.
But after winning over plastic manufacturers with a "viable and eco-friendly" solution, Suhail faced a new hurdle: convincing customers to invest in more sustainable, and more expensive, packaging.
The Better India reported that sustainable packaging can be up to five times more expensive than traditional plastic packaging. To bridge the price gap and win support, Suhail kept profit margins at just 5% initially. Now, his margins are at 15%, still well below the 25% industry average, Suhail told The Better India.
"It was a conscious decision to build trust with customers and make it easier for them to try our sustainable solutions," Suhail said.
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Definitely 👍 Athar Packaging Solutions now supplies eco-friendly packaging to over 700 businesses across 60 cities. So far, the company says it has prevented nearly 330 tons of carbon pollution from entering the atmosphere through its recycling efforts.
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While reducing plastic packaging altogether is the most sustainable option, recycling industrial plastic waste into packaging still plays a crucial role in the world's plastic problem. By diverting this material from landfills — or worse, incineration — Athar Packaging Solutions helps extend the life of existing resources, curbing the environmental toll of plastic production.
Suhail told The Better India, "Without compromising on quality, we are creating solutions that benefit both our customers and the planet."
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