Plastic pollution is a at a critical point and it is bound to increase with the growing population and increasing demand in a country like India. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic waste management has emerged as a key policy instrument to address this issue, placing the management and appropriate disposal of plastic products and packaging onto manufacturers.

With India’s growing population and increasing demand, plastic pollution is at a criticial point and is projected to only increase. To address this issue, EPR for plastic waste management has emerged as a key policy instrument, placing the management and the responsibility of appropriate disposal of the plastic products onto manufacturers.

EPR is an approach that implements a producer’s duty to a product to the conclusion of its cycle. A circular economy model is created that demonstrates the potential to drive advancements in innovation and economic growth within the recycling industry and in a plastic EPR company, while environmental concerns are also addressed with this policy.

Key Regulations and Guidelines

EPR implementation in India is governed by the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. These rules mandate that producers, importers, and brand owners are responsible for collecting and recycling their plastic waste. The guidelines also specify certain year based targets for collection and recycling, emphasizing the need for registration with Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the EPR portal. A mandated recycled content requirement for plastic products and targets for reuse of product packaging, has also been specified in the latest amendment.

As per the 2025 EPR Guidelines, the companies are required to:

• Create systems of collection for plastic waste
• Work with recyclers to guarantee appropriate waste re-processing and collection
• Creating recyclable-friendly products by re-thinking the product design.

While these requirements pose various challenges, they will drive innovation in packaging design. This could potentially create partnership opportunities within the plastic waste management ecosystem. In order to fulfil their obligations effectively, brand Owners and manufacturers are now seeking to partner with an EPR compliant recycler.

Challenges in Implementation:

• Lack of data on the amount of plastic waste generated
• Rudimentary infrastructure for waste recycling and segregation
• Dependence on state for EPR rule enforcement
• Need to educate and raise awareness amongst buyers on waste disposal practices

In collaboration with industry players, government bodies and the civil society organizations these challenges can be tackled. The potential of EPR in India has been demonstrated by several initiatives:

• Creation of Producer Responsibility Organizations (PRO’s) to fulfil the EPR obligations together
• Collection and recycling programs led by brands in partnerships with the local communities
• Tracking and reporting plastic waste management through the development of digital platforms
• Introducing and incorporating the informal waste pickers into the formal recycling systems.

The Role of Recycling Companies

Implementing EPR for plastic waste is essential for the survival of the plastic recycling industry. Recyclers act as intermediaries that are responsible for processing collected plastic waste into good quality recyclate. Recycling companies play a key role in the EPR ecosystem to solve the plastic waste management system. This not only creates a sustainable supply chain for recycled plastics but also reduces environmental impact.

With an increase in the number of brands making an effort to meet their EPR plastic waste management targets, there will be an increase in requests for high-quality recycled plastics. This might drive up the requirement in improvements in the recycling processes, job creations in a plastic EPR company and contribute to India’s circular economy goals. And thus, EPR frameworks represent a critical financial opportunity for the recycling sector.

Future Outlook and Opportunities

The future of EPR in India looks promising, with multiple developments on the horizon:

To empower transparent tracking of plastic waste, blockchain and IoT technologies could see potential applications

• To empower transparent tracking of plastic waste, blockchain and IoT technologies could see potential applications
• There will be an increment in the market for recycled plastics in multiple industries including textiles and automative.  

EPR in India speaks to an opportunity for us to move our approach towards EPR plastic waste management. Indeed in spite of the fact that this move presents challenges, the policy will set in movement a change of the plastic value chain. For the recycling industry, EPR for plastic waste presents not only an environmental advantage but a critical financial opportunity for a plastic EPR company as well.