Sustainable Yet Profitable: Navigating Plastic Waste Management Act
Plastic Face Management Act
The Plastic Face Management Act is a significant step towards reducing the use of single-use plastic in India. The act aims to regulate the production, use, and disposal of plastic products, including plastic bags, bottles, and other items. The act was passed in 2022, and it has since been enforced throughout the country.
The Situation:
As it stands today, the Central Government of India has issued a circular in 2022 for end users of packaging in India to start using 25% recycled plastics in their packaging with immediate effect. However at what cost? The projections indicate that from 2027-28 end users of packaging in India must use 80% recycled plastics in their packaging (See Figure 1.1).
(Figure 1.1: % of Extended Producer Responsibility target)
|
Plastic Packaging Category |
2024-25 |
2025-26 |
2026-27 |
2027-28 and onwards |
|
Rigid Plastic Packaging |
50% |
60% |
70% |
80% |
While this is a great move in protecting our environment for future generations, it creates 2 major challenges for brand owners who use plastic bottles:
- Firstly, recycled plastics are inconsistent in their colour and appearance, making it difficult to meet customers’ requirements
- Secondly, recycled plastics being the by-product of post-consumer waste does not have the same quality as virgin plastic, thus increasing the risk of unwanted contamination.
The Solution:
Multilayer Packaging! At Regent Plast, we use extrusion blow Moulding machinery to manufacture HDPE Bottles wherein PCR or Post-Consumer Recycled Plastics is in the middle layer (See Figure 1.2). This innovation allows us to address the aforementioned issues and ensures that there is No Contamination, that the Appearance of Packaging is maintained, all while being Light Weight.
Conclusion:
The Plastic Face Management Act of 2023 is a significant step towards reducing the use of single-use plastic in India and has had a positive impact on the environment and the economy. However, its success depends on the effective implementation and enforcement of its provisions.
We at Regent Plast are equipped to be both sustainable and functional and hope to inspire others to innovate alongside us. Do contact us to join hands and contribute our bit to save the environment!
