Page 80 - Plastics News - April 2026
P. 80
IN THE NEWS
INDIA SETS 40 PER CENT RECYCLED
CONTENT RULE FOR PACKAGING
lowing three years.
Recycled content increase
India’s plastics waste management rules set a
30 per cent recycled content obligation for rig-
id plastics packaging from 2025 to 2026. This
will increase by 10 percentage points each year,
reaching 60 per cent in 2028/2029.
Following the introduction of the 40 per cent
requirement for food-grade packaging, the As-
ndia has introduced a rule requiring packag- sociation of PET Recyclers Bharat said recyclers
ing to contain at least 40 per cent recycled have set up facilities supported by investments
Imaterial of between INR 90 billion ($969 million) and INR
100bn ($1.08bn).
The measure also sets out how brand owners
and producers can address any shortfall against In March, the Food Safety and Standards Au-
the mandatory recycled content target for the thority of India granted final authorisation to
2025 to 2026 financial year. 17 recycled PET manufacturing plants. These
newly authorised units, operated by companies
Under the arrangement, unmet obligations from including Dodhia Industries, Ganesha Ecopet,
2025 to 2026, when the mandated level is 30 JB Ecotex, Ribotl Solutions and Srichakra Poly-
per cent, may be carried forward for up to three plast, add around 300,000 tonnes of officially
consecutive years. At least one-third of any de- approved capacity to India’s circular packaging
ferred requirement must be met in each year of system.
the carry-forward period.
The policy change comes as availability of pack-
A draft notification issued on 3 June 2025 by aging materials has been affected by shortages
the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate linked to the conflicts in the Middle East, making
Change had already proposed allowing brand the expansion of domestic recycling capacity
owners and producers to offset gaps in meeting particularly important.
the 30 per cent recycled PET requirement for Source – eco-plastics in packaging
food-contact uses in 2025 to 2026 over the fol-
82 PLASTICS NEWS April 2026
