News and Articles

• 17 recycled PET plants receive FSSAI authorisation for food-grade use
• India reaches about 300,000 tonnes per year of approved r-PET capacity
• Rules require 30 percent recycled content from 2025-26 rising to 60 percent by 2028-29
• Beverage sector must meet 40 percent recycled PET content by 2026-27
• Global PET supply uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions boosts focus on r-PET

Seventeen recycled PET manufacturing plants in India have received authorisation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, marking a key step in expanding the country’s supply of food-grade recycled plastics. The approvals, announced by the Association of PET Recyclers Bharat, bring the total authorised capacity for food-contact recycled PET to about 300,000 tonnes per year.

The newly approved facilities include companies such as Rungta Eco Extrusions, Dodhia Industries, Ganesha Ecopet, JB Ecotex, Alpha Ecoplast, Ribotl Solutions, Dalmia Polypro Industries, Revalyu Recycling and Srichakra Polyplast, among others. The expanded capacity is expected to support the beverage and bottling industry as it prepares to meet upcoming regulatory requirements on recycled content in packaging.

India’s plastic waste rules mandate a minimum of 30 percent recycled content in rigid plastic packaging from 2025-26, with the requirement set to rise annually to reach 60 percent by 2028-29. For food-grade PET bottles, the target is expected to reach 40 percent recycled content in 2026-27. Industry investments of around Rs.9,000 to Rs.10,000 crore have already gone into building recycling infrastructure aligned with these targets, resulting in the creation of multiple food-grade r-PET facilities across the country.

The timing of the approvals comes as global markets for virgin PET and related polymers face supply uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions, including the Iran-Israel conflict. Disruptions in petrochemical supply chains and volatility in feedstock prices have tightened availability of virgin materials, prompting industry participants to look more closely at recycled alternatives.

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Regulatory developments have also influenced demand patterns. While the environment ministry allowed the use of recycled PET for food-contact applications in 2021, a draft notification issued in June 2025 permitted companies to carry forward shortfalls in meeting initial recycled content targets over a three-year period. The absence of a final notification has led to slower uptake from beverage manufacturers in the short term, affecting immediate demand for recycled material.

With the latest approvals in place, industry participants expect a surplus of food-grade recycled PET in the domestic market. This additional capacity is likely to help stabilise supply for packaging producers and offset potential disruptions in virgin polymer availability, while supporting compliance with upcoming sustainability mandates.