The Association of PET Recyclers of Bharat (APR Bharat) has raised urgent concerns regarding the significant delays in enforcing the recycled PET mandate outlined in India’s Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules. These delays are causing detrimental effects not only on recyclers but also on overall investor confidence.
As the implementation of the mandatory recycled content requirement continues to lag, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the livelihoods of the rag picker community are at stake. The rag pickers, who diligently collect post-consumer PET bottles, form the backbone of the plastic waste value chain. For decades, they have played a crucial role in contributing to India’s recycling and environmental goals, often without recognition.
However, due to the postponement of the recycled content mandate—set to take effect on April 1, 2025, as per the PWM Rules—the demand for recycled PET (r-PET) has plummeted. Consequently, prices have dropped sharply, rendering it nearly impossible for rag pickers to earn even basic daily wages.
Meanwhile, the PET recycling industry in India has made substantial investments in advanced food-grade r-PET infrastructure, anticipating the mandate’s enforcement. This investment aimed to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, all while ensuring compliance with quality and safety standards, including certifications from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Unfortunately, many of these units are now operating far below capacity or facing potential shutdowns, primarily because brands mandated to utilize 30% recycled content in their bottles are not fulfilling their obligations.
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, stipulated a gradual increase in the use of recycled plastic in Category-1 rigid packaging, including beverage-grade PET bottles. However, brand owners have been granted extensions for compliance, resulting in stagnation in the recycling value chain and distress across the entire supply chain.
Furthermore, on June 3, 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a Gazette notification addressing the use of recycled plastic in food-contact packaging. This notification allows brand owners to defer fulfilling the mandatory recycled content requirements for three years, beginning in 2026-27, thus exacerbating the stagnation and undermining the goals of the PWM Rules.
In light of these pressing issues, APR Bharat has formally appealed to the central government to take immediate action. They urge the government to enforce the recycled content mandate in accordance with the PWM Rules without further delays. Additionally, they advocate for the implementation of time-bound compliance requirements for brands, coupled with regular monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
