Policymakers, industry, and recyclers converge to share innovations in plastic packaging sustainability

India’s evolving approach to extended producer responsibility (EPR) and sustainable packaging was at the centre of discussions during the National Expo on eco-alternatives to single-use plastics and plastic waste management, organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi to mark World Environment Day 2025.

The day-long event featured participation from over 150 startups, recyclers, and municipal bodies, showcasing a diverse set of technologies and models for plastic waste reduction, recycling, and the development of viable alternatives.

A thematic session on ‘Extended Producer Responsibility on Plastic Packaging: Opportunities and Way Forward’ brought together stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including representatives from UFlex Limited, Nestle India, Reliance Industries, Recykal, Lucro Plastecycle, and 3R Solutions.

Chairing the session, Neelesh Kumar Sah, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, emphasised the government’s intent to foster collaborative action between regulators, producers, and recyclers in building a more circular plastic economy.

Industry participants discussed how they are aligning with the 2022 EPR Guidelines, which laid out a phased 10-year compliance roadmap to improve infrastructure, reporting systems, and recyclability targets for plastic packaging.

Sharing updates from UFlex’s work in the space, Jeevaraj Pillai, Director – Sustainability and President – Flexible Packaging and NPD, outlined initiatives around recyclability, design for circularity, and end-of-life management.

He noted the development of AI-enabled sorting for mixed plastic waste, enzyme-based delamination processes for separating complex laminates, and food-grade recycled polyester (rPET) that complies with both USFDA and FSSAI norms.

The presentation also addressed challenges around recycling hard-to-process materials, such as multi-layered packaging and aluminium-based films. UFlex has reportedly phased out aluminium foil in some applications to improve recyclability, and is experimenting with enzymes that enable microbial degradation of plastic films by enhancing their water affinity.

As India works towards its plastic phase-out deadlines and EPR benchmarks, platforms like the Expo are seen as opportunities to surface scalable models and technologies that could inform policy design and cross-sector collaboration going forward.