India: New Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging

 

The Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has published new Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022. They will come into force with immediate effect and will apply to both pre-consumer and post-consumer plastic packaging waste, providing a framework to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste.

The new rules classify plastics into four categories:

• category 1: rigid plastic packaging;
• category 2: flexible plastic packaging of single layer or multilayer (more than one layer with different types of plastic), plastic sheets and covers made of plastic sheet, carry bags, plastic sachet or pouches;
• category 3: multi-layered plastic packaging (at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of material other than plastic)
• category 4: plastic sheet or like used for packaging as well as carry bags made of compostable plastics

According to the new guidelines, the manufacturers, importers and brand-owners shall have to provide the details of recycling certificates only from registered recyclers along with the details of quantity sent for end-of-life disposal, by June 30 of next financial year while filing annual returns on the online portal.

The EPR guidelines should boost the formalization and further development of the plastic waste management industry. Significantly, the guidelines allow for the sale and purchase of surplus extended producer responsibility certificates.  This way, a creation of a market mechanism for plastic waste management will be possible.

The guidelines on ERP, coupled with prohibition of single use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential (with takes effect from 1st July 2022), are important steps for reducing plastic waste pollution in India.