Paper Merchants Association celebrates Paper Day

A school in East Delhi, Bal Mandir Senior Secondary School, became a stage on National Paper Day as local school children performed a spirited nukkad-naatak to spread awareness about paper’s role in a circular economy. Organised in collaboration with the Paper Merchants Association (PMA), the event brought together students, shopkeepers, residents, and industry stakeholders in an open-air campaign for sustainability.

The street play depicted everyday scenes of paper wastage, from unused notebooks tossed aside to overprinted leaflets crumpled on the ground and takeaway cups piling up in bins. 

Addressing the gathering, managing director, PMA, said the Indian paper sector is on a strong growth trajectory but must ensure sustainability remains central to expansion. “Our industry has been growing at a healthy CAGR over the last few years, driven by packaging, education, and eCommerce. Unfortunately growth means little if it’s not green. We must lead with recyclability, renewable sourcing, and innovations like barrier coatings that allow paper to replace single-use plastics in food and liquid packaging,” he said. 

He added that more than 75% of India’s paper is produced from recycled fibre and agricultural residues, with the remainder coming from responsibly managed plantations. “Paper is one of the most circular materials in the world. It’s renewable, biodegradable, and infinitely recyclable — if we do our part to collect and process it,” he said.

He noted that new technologies in barrier coatings are enabling paper to replace multi-layer plastic in foodservice and FMCG packaging. “It’s a game-changer. Barrier-coated paper can be recycled in the existing stream, unlike plastic-laminated boards that end up in landfills,” he said.

PMA officials stressed that such grassroots efforts complement industry-level sustainability initiatives, ensuring that the benefits of innovation reach both consumers and the environment. “Awareness is the first step,” they said. “If every household treats paper not as waste but as a resource, we can transform both our recycling rates and our environmental footprint. That’s the real promise of National Paper Day.”