APR Bharat requests to enforce the recycled plastic content mandate

The Association of PET Recyclers of Bharat (APR Bharat) has expressed concern over the continued delay in implementing the mandatory recycled content requirement under India’s Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules. This delay is harming the livelihood of the rag picker community, rendering capacities set up by the recycling industry idle, and damaging investor confidence — all of which are counterproductive to India’s stated vision of a circular economy.

Over two-million people are a part of the rag picker community for the collection of post-consumer PET bottles, forming the base of the plastic waste value chain. For decades, the community has silently contributed to India’s recycling and environmental goals. But due to the delay in enforcing the recycled content mandate — which was to come into effect from 1 April 2025, as per the PWM Rules — the demand for recycled PET (r-PET) has collapsed. This has resulted in a steep drop in prices, making it unviable for rag pickers to earn basic daily wages.

At the same time, India’s PET recycling industry — in anticipation of the mandate — has invested heavily in food-grade r-PET infrastructure, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while ensuring full compliance with quality and safety standards (including FSSAI certifications). Today, these units are sitting idle, running at a fraction of capacity, or facing potential shutdowns — solely due to the lack of demand from brands that were mandated to use 30% recycled content in their bottles.

Goutham Jain, director general, APR Bharat, said, “This uncertainty is sending a wrong signal to investors and MSMEs who trusted government notifications and made large capital investments. It weakens India’s credibility as a country that offers regulatory certainty and respect for policy continuity — both cornerstones of Ease of Doing Business.”

The PWM (Amendment) Rules, 2022, had mandated progressive use of recycled plastic content in Category-1 rigid packaging — including beverage-grade PET bottles. However, brand owners and producers have been allowed to delay compliance, leading to stagnation in the recycling value chain and distress across the supply chain.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had, in a Gazette notification issued on 3 June 2025, said in case of ‘Use of recycled plastic content in plastic packaging used in food contact applications’ the brand owner may be allowed to carry forward any shortfall in fulfilment of mandatory use of recycled plastic in plastic packaging, for the year 2025-26, for a period of three years starting from 2026-27, over and above the target mandated for those years.”

In an appeal to the central government, APR Bharat has requested to enforce the recycled content mandate as per the PWM Rules without further deferral and ensure time-bound brand compliance, with regular monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Jain said, “There is a need to stabilise the r-PET market to protect both the informal waste workers and recycling units and also to provide recognition and welfare support to rag pickers who are essential to India’s waste management ecosystem. This will help safeguard industrial investments and restore confidence in the regulatory framework under the Ease of Doing Business mission.”

“India stands at a crucial juncture — where environmental sustainability, social justice, and industrial growth can go hand in hand. APR Bharat remains committed to working with all stakeholders — including government, brands, and civil society — to build a plastic circular economy that is fair, inclusive, and future-ready,” he added.