News Brief
India's First Biopolymer Manufacturing Plant To Be Set Up In Uttar Pradesh With An Investment Of Rs 2,850 Crore
UP CM Yogi Adityanath laying the foundation stone for the biopolymer plant
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (22 February) laid the foundation stone for India's first biopolymer manufacturing unit in Kumbhi, Lakhimpur Kheri district.
This facility is set to manufacture eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.
During the event, CM Yogi highlighted that the integrated polymer plant, owned by BalrampurChini Mills Ltd (BCML), the largest sugar industry in Uttar Pradesh, will support India's net zero emissions target.
"Biopolymer, a biodegradable and sustainable polymer represents a significant step toward eco-friendly alternatives in packaging, biomedical applications, food service ware, textiles, and various industrial uses, playing a crucial role in the fight against global warming," he added, The New Indian Express reported.
Later, in a post on X, CM Yogi revealed that the plant will be built at a cost of Rs 2,850 crore.
"This plant will not only advance the esteemed vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi—'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'—but will also serve as a milestone in reducing environmental pollution and generating employment," he added.
The biopolymer, particularly Polylactic Acid (PLA), will be created from raw materials like sugar, corn, and tapioca.
It will be used to manufacture biodegradable daily-use items like cups, plates, cutlery, and straws, addressing the environmental concerns caused by plastic waste.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh noted that global PLA production currently stands at 21 lakh tonnes.
With an investment of Rs 2,880 crore, the plant will be India's first integrated biopolymer facility to operated on renewable energy. It is slated to commence operations by December 2026.
Advancements in technology for converting sugar into PLA will be crucial in making the process more affordable.
Technological advancements in sugar-to-PLA conversion will be crucial in making the process more affordable.
Avantika Saraogi, Executive Director of BCML, explained that manufacturing one kilogram of PLA currently requires around 1.6 kilograms of sugar.
Saraogi noted that improvements in technology could reduce this to 1.2 kilograms in the future.
BCML has collaborated with Alpine from Austria and Sulzer from Switzerland for technology transfer.
The plant aims to launch production by December 2026 with an initial capacity of 80,000 tonnes.
Saraogi added that once production scales up, the company will expand its capacity further.
