India Mandates 40% Recycled Plastic in Food Packaging to Boost Circular Economy

The move marks a significant milestone in the country's commitment to sustainable resource management amidst global supply disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties impacting the availability and pricing of virgin PET, APR Director General Goutham Jain said.

This had made India's dependence on virgin PET imports both costly and unreliable.

Earlier in March, the FSSAI had granted authorisation to 17 recycled PET manufacturing plants, unlocking 3 lakh tonne capacity for the country's circular packaging economy.

These plants have adopted state-of-the-art technology and set up their factories adhering to standards approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), firms may carry forward shortfalls in meeting the 30 per cent recycled PET target for food contact applications for 2025‑26 over the next three years.

However, they must meet at least one-third of the carry‑forward target each year, the report said.

"With the current authorised capacities in place, India is well positioned to cater to up to 50 per cent of the total PET requirement for bottling applications through recycled material," Jain said.

"The mandate is expected to accelerate the adoption of recycled PET (rPET) across the food and beverage sector, creating robust demand for high-quality recycled materials while strengthening the domestic recycling ecosystem. By closing the loop on plastic use, the policy will play a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste leakage into the environment and minimising dependence on virgin plastics," he added.

The policy aligns with the Plastic Waste Management Rules, which mandate a gradual 10 per cent rise each year in recycled content from 30 per cent in 2025‑26 to 60 per cent by 2028‑29.

- IANS