The Association of PET Recyclers of Bharat (APR Bharat) voiced serious concern over the continued delay in implementing the mandatory recycled plastic content requirement under India’s Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules. The deferral, it says, is hurting the livelihoods of over two million rag pickers, leaving recycling capacities idle, and eroding investor confidence.
Rag pickers form the backbone of India’s plastic waste value chain, collecting post-consumer PET bottles for decades and silently contributing to recycling and environmental goals. However, with the mandate—scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2025—still not enforced, the demand for recycled PET (r-PET) has collapsed. Prices have dropped steeply, making it difficult for rag pickers to earn even basic daily wages.
Idle Investments and Industry at Risk
India’s PET recycling sector, in anticipation of the mandate, invested heavily in state-of-the-art food-grade r-PET facilities, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Many units are fully compliant with FSSAI safety certifications. Yet today, these plants are running far below capacity or facing shutdowns due to lack of demand from brand owners who were required to use 30% recycled content in bottles.
“This uncertainty is sending the wrong signal to investors and MSMEs who trusted government notifications and made large capital investments,” said Goutham Jain, Director General, APR Bharat. “It undermines India’s credibility as a country that offers regulatory certainty and respect for policy continuity—both cornerstones of Ease of Doing Business,” Jain added.
Regulatory Loopholes Fuel Stagnation
The PWM (Amendment) Rules, 2022 had mandated phased use of recycled plastic in Category-1 rigid packaging, including beverage-grade PET bottles. However, brand owners and producers have been permitted to delay compliance.
Further, in a Gazette notification dated June 3, 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) allowed brand owners to carry forward shortfalls in mandatory recycled plastic use for food contact packaging. This extension, covering 2026–27 onward, has stalled demand and led to stagnation across the recycling value chain.
Appeal for Immediate Enforcement
In a direct appeal to the government, APR Bharat has urged immediate enforcement of the recycled content mandate without further delays. It has also called for time-bound compliance by brands, backed by robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms. “There is a need to stabilize the r-PET market to protect both informal waste workers and recycling units,” Jain stressed. “The government must also provide recognition and welfare support to rag pickers who are essential to India’s waste management ecosystem.”
Balancing Sustainability, Social Justice, and Growth
As reported by apnnews.com, APR Bharat emphasized that India now stands at a critical crossroads, where environmental sustainability, social justice, and industrial growth must converge. “APR Bharat remains committed to working with government, brands, and civil society to build a plastic circular economy that is fair, inclusive, and future-ready,” Jain added.
