Scramble for recycled plastic as packaging deadline looms

With days left for the debut of a rule mandating recycled content in plastic packaging, India's food packaging sector remains a work in progress.

- Suneera Tandon

With days left for the debut of a rule mandating recycled content in plastic packaging, India's food packaging sector remains a work in progress. An environment ministry rule from 2022 takes effect on 1 April, mandating quotas for using recycled PET (rPET), which is made from used bottles and packaging. While some companies have partnered with manufacturers and invested in recycling, others are scrambling for food-grade plastic.

While India has 18 manufacturers of food-grade rPET, only five of them are licensed by the food safety regulator, data from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (Fssai) showed, posing a shortage of sufficient recycled material. Industry executives said while capacities are available, they are yet to receive clearance from Fssai.

"The food industry is feeling the heat right now. Good quality, recycled PET is available; however, some approvals and formalities which are required by Fssai need to be expedited," a packaging industry executive said on the condition of anonymity.

Queries emailed to Fssai remained unanswered.