ENA Sectors 2026-04-02 16:16:45 <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>New Delhi, Apr 2 (KNN)</strong> The Government has notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026, mandating the use of recycled plastic in packaging by producers, importers and brand owners. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Under the revised rules, category-wise targets for recycled plastic usage have been introduced, with a phased increase over time. For instance, Category I packaging will require 30 per cent recycled content in 2025 26, rising to 60 per cent from 2028 onwards, while lower thresholds have been prescribed for Categories II and III.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:14px">Stricter Compliance and Labelling Norms</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The amendments introduce enhanced compliance requirements, including mandatory labelling to indicate recycled content. Entities must adhere to prescribed standards such as IS 14534:2023, and follow applicable marking and labelling norms for food-grade packaging as specified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">However, recycled content mandates will not apply where prohibited under existing regulations of statutory bodies such as the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the Central Insecticide Board.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:14px">Expanded Waste Management Options</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The scope of end-of-life disposal has been broadened to include co-processing in cement and steel industries, waste-to-energy, waste-to-oil technologies, and use in road construction.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:14px">Decentralised Enforcement and Monitoring</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Implementation will follow a decentralised model, with urban local bodies, gram panchayats and district administrations responsible for ground-level enforcement. State and Union Territory governments will set up monitoring committees for oversight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will develop a centralised online system for reporting recycled content usage and tracking compliance.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:14px">Focus on Reuse and EPR</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The rules also introduce minimum reuse targets for rigid plastic packaging and reinforce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations, aiming to create a more accountable and transparent recycling ecosystem.</span></p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:14px">(KNN Bureau)</span></strong></em><br /> </p> 45670 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/govt-mandates-use-of-recycled-plastic-in-packaging-under-new-waste-management-rules 2026-04-02 16:16:45 knnindia.co.in