The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging on 16th February 2022. The Guidelines stipulates mandatory targets on producers, importers and brand owners for reuse of rigid plastic packaging, minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste and minimum use of recycled plastic content in plastic packaging. The year-wise target for minimum level of recycling of plastic waste across different categories of plastic packaging including compostable packaging is given below:
| Year | Target
(% of Extended Producer Responsibility) |
| 2024-25 | 30-50 |
| 2025-26 | 40-60 |
| 2026-27 | 50-70 |
| 2027-28 onwards | 60-80 |
The target for reuse of rigid plastic packaging by Brand Owners is given in table below. The reuse of rigid plastic packaging in food contact applications is subject to regulation of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
| Target (as percentage of rigid plastic packaging in products sold annually) | ||||
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 and onwards | |
| Rigid plastic packaging with volume or weight equal more than 0.9 lt. or kg. but less than 4.9 lt. or kg. as the case may be | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Rigid plastic packaging with volume or weight equal more than 0.9 lt. or kg. but less than 4.9 lt. or kg. as the case may be | 70 | 75 | 80 | 85 |
The objective of enforceable obligations of minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste under Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility is to strengthen circular economy of plastic packaging waste and development of recycling infrastructure for plastic packaging waste. Schemes of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, are available for technical and financial assistance for development of recycling infrastructure for plastic waste, as per scheme guidelines.
