The Milk Packet Movement

A milk packet reaches every household in India, and so should this petition.

It's a busy morning. We rush to the kitchen to make our morning cup of chai. We grab a packet of milk and hurriedly snip off its end. The little triangle shaped piece of plastic cuts off and drops onto the floor. It lies there separated from its clan.

The problem? That little piece of plastic may never make it to a recycling unit, and may forever remain a polluter.

As Kripa Ramachandran, an independent researcher explains, “Milk packets are made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is a subclass of plastics. To be recycled, this type of plastic has to be compressed at a high temperature and in a certain shape; else, they add no value. If such pieces do not reach the recycling units, it disintegrates into microplastics, that is, less than five mm in length, like the size of microbeads used in gels and toothpaste. Rain and wind carry these smaller fragments into drainage systems, which could lead to clogging. These can even enter water bodies, and as a result, marine organisms may mistakenly consume them.”

Awareness and a slight change in how we cut open our milk packets can stop millions of tiny pieces of plastic from polluting our sources. To make the process easier for citizens, we are asking the milk production sector to print a "Cut Here" with dotted lines on milk packets so that citizens understand and remember to cut a milk packet the right way.

Numerous groups have been raising awareness on this issue for many years. We believe that printing a reminder slogan on the packet would make it easier for consumers to adhere.

Sign this petition to join the Milk Packet Movement!