Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: From April, India’s amended Plastic Waste Management Rules require brands and producers to build at least 40% recycled content into rigid packaging — rising to 50% and eventually 60% in later years.
It is the clearest signal yet of a move toward genuine circularity, creating durable demand for recycled material. Since Extended Producer Responsibility guidelines took effect in 2022, some 20.7 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste have been recycled.
India is moving its plastics economy from promises to proof — mandating recycled content and holding producers accountable for the waste they creat
At a Glance
• New mandate: 40% recycled content (rigid packaging)
• Trajectory: Rises to 50%, then 60%
• Recycled since 2022: 20.7 million tonnes
• EPR target: 70% by 2026–27 → 100% by 2028–29
The constructive challenge lies in enforcement: watchdogs warn that fraudulent credits can let some firms claim compliance without action. Stronger verification, digital traceability and third-party audits would protect honest recyclers.
Handled with rigour, India’s circular-economy push can become a template for the developing world — turning waste into a manufacturing input and generating green jobs.
