Balrampur Chini Mills Limited’s (BCML) PLA vertical, Balrampur Bioyug, has secured its first official institutional order from the Lucknow Cantonment Board (LCB), marking a significant milestone for India’s emerging bio-based materials ecosystem, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The order includes compostable garbage bags (in two sizes), 300 ml PLA bottles, 3D-printed compostable PLA pens, and PLA folders — all manufactured from renewable, bio-based Polylactic Acid (PLA), a 100% compostable material with a low carbon footprint that leaves no microplastics behind.
Lucknow Cantonment, spread across 6,760 acres, is administered by the Lucknow Cantonment Board, a statutory body functioning under the administrative control of the Director General of Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. With this procurement, the Board reinforces its commitment to structured and sustainable governance, becoming one of the first defence-linked institutions to formally integrate compostable PLA solutions into operational use.
The order builds on LCB’s sustainability roadmap, including its partnership with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to develop a waste- and carbon-neutral ecosystem and its active participation in the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva campaign.
Significantly, the order comes ahead of the commissioning of India’s first domestic industrial-scale PLA manufacturing unit being set up by Balrampur Chini Mills Limited at Kumbhi, Uttar Pradesh, which is scheduled to be commissioned in October 2026. The development reflects institutional confidence in indigenous bio-based innovation. The move also builds on the legacy of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its research arm, Defence Food Research Laboratory, which developed India’s first PLA water bottle in Mysuru in September 2023.
To mark World Environment Day on 5 June, Balrampur Bioyug and the Lucknow Cantonment Board will jointly host a ceremonial event within the cantonment area to formalise the large-scale adoption of PLA-based bioplastics in routine institutional use.
The event will be attended by representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, along with other key stakeholders, highlighting a shared commitment to environmental sustainability, responsible material transition, and the reduction of single-use plastics within defence establishments.
Shri Abhishek Rathour, CEO of the Lucknow Cantonment Board, said, “Lucknow Cantonment Board has systematically strengthened waste management practices and enforced a ban on single-use plastic items to reduce our carbon footprint. The adoption of PLA bioplastic items into routine operational frameworks reflects our commitment to embedding sustainability into everyday governance and aligning defence establishments with India’s long-term climate and circular economy goals.”
Ms Avantika Saraogi, Executive Director of Balrampur Chini Mills Limited, said, “This order from the Lucknow Cantonment Board represents more than a procurement milestone, as it signals institutional trust in India’s emerging biopolymer capabilities. The adoption of compostable PLA products across operational categories demonstrates that sustainable materials are no longer experimental alternatives, but credible, performance-oriented solutions for large-scale institutional use.”
Amid rising concerns over single-use plastics and microplastic contamination in the environment, food chain, and even human bodies, this procurement signals a clear shift from fossil-based materials to bio-based alternatives within institutional systems. By adopting PLA solutions ahead of India’s first domestic industrial PLA facility becoming operational, the Lucknow Cantonment Board sets a strong benchmark for ESG-led public procurement. Through Balrampur Bioyug, BCML underscores that sustainable materials are scalable and ready-for-use solutions, accelerating the transition from a linear consumption model to a circular and regenerative economy.
