Recycling of compostable plastic mandatory from 2023-24

14 Dec 2022 CW Team

The government has made 100% recycling of compostable plastic material mandatory from the financial year 2023-24 under the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR). The materials used for compostable packaging do not produce toxins as they decompose.

While answering a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey said, “The MoEF&CC has notified guidelines on EPR for plastic packaging which stipulate mandatory targets for producers, importers and brand owners for reuse of rigid plastic packaging. The minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste and minimum use of recycled plastic content in plastic packaging has also been notified. Under the EPR, the target for recycling rigid plastic packaging made from compostable material stands at 100% from the financial year 2023-24.”

Compostable plastic material is made from bio-based sources like seaweed, sugar beets and other plants instead of fossil fuels. If sourced responsibly, these materials can offer environmental benefits.

It has been discovered that if packaging materials made from compostable sources are not picked up and processed suitably then these materials do not break down as intended. Therefore, compostable plastic must be recovered in either home or commercial compost.

Under the EPR guidelines, the minimum plastic recycling target is fixed at 30-40% for FY 2024-25, 40-50% for FY 2025-26, 50-70% for FY 2026-27 and 60-80% from FY 2027-28 onwards.

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