NGT directs Aavin to explore possibility of utilising reusable plastic milk bottles

NGT directs Aavin to consider reusable plastic bottles for milk packaging due to environmental concerns, despite cost challenges.

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Aavin to explore the possibility of utilising reusable plastic bottles for milk packaging.

Hearing a case about effluent discharge into the Korattur lake, the Bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert Satyagopal Korlapati, suggested that a preliminary study be conducted on using sturdy, reusable plastic bottles, similar to the ones distributed in Europe.

In the previous hearing, the bench highlighted the concerns of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) report, which revealed that Aavin’s milk production has increased from 3 lakh litres per day to 4.5 lakh litres per day without a ‘Consent to Operate’ approval. This rise in production has also led to more effluents, the TNPCB said, requiring additional effluent treatment plants.

Further, the report highlighted that significant amounts of plastic waste had accumulated at Aavin’s Ambattur dairy unit.

Aavin argued that setting up machinery for producing plastic bottles would be very costly. The counsel for Aavin added that the organisation was already selling at subsidised rates, and reducing the procurement cost further would harm farmers. However, the Bench insisted on finding alternatives to single-use plastic milk sachets and instructed that a study be conducted before the next hearing scheduled for March 4, 2025.