FSSAI Guidelines Boost r-PET Use, Circular Economy

New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) Association of PET Recyclers (Bharat) on Wednesday hailed regulator FSSAI's latest guideline on use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) for food products packaging, saying it will boost circular economy.

With an aim to promote eco-friendly packaging practices, FSSAI has recently introduced guidelines for the use of recycled PET (rPET) in packaging of food products. It also unveiled a separate logo to help consumers identify products packaged using rPET.

This progressive step by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) harmonises with the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 (as amended), which mandate the incorporation of 30 per cent recycled content in rigid plastic packaging, effective from April 1, 2025, Association of PET Recyclers (Bharat) said in a statement.

FSSAI's guideline is poised to significantly advance India's circular economy goals, it said.

"It is a significant move by the regulator and is expected to fast-track the adoption of recycled PET in food-contact packaging in a big way thereby giving a huge boost to the country's circular economy," Shailendra Singh, Director General of Association of PET Recyclers (Bharat)-APR Bharat, said in the statement.

According to Singh, a combined investment of Rs 7,500 crore to Rs 8,000 crore has been made into world class PET recycling plants, capable of making the safest grade of r-PET to be used as a food contact material.

This investment is estimated to generate 10,000 new jobs and also benefit the rag picker community of over 2 million people who collect post-consumer PET bottles and send them for recycling.

The industry, which has already created a capacity of close to 4 lakh MT, is hopeful of taking it up to 7.5 lakh MT by 2027 and further increase the installed capacity to 11 lakh MT by 2030. These capacities are being built across the country.

Association of PET Recyclers (Bharat) – APR Bharat is a coalition of companies in India dedicated to responsible recycling of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) materials.