The study recommends FTIR spectroscopy and DSC-based thermo-analytical techniques to develop a national standard process to assess and regulate the recycled content of PCR plastic packaging.

Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director of UFlex Limited, unveiled a report titled “Proposed National Standard for Scientific Estimation of Recycled Content” during an event hosted by the Plastic Packaging Research and Development Centre (PPRDC).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director, UFlex Limited, said sustainability is the cornerstone of our corporate strategy, and as a global leader in packaging, we have made significant investments in recycling technologies to keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment. Currently, we recycle close to 30,000 MT of multi-layer plastic (MLP) waste annually across India, Poland, and Mexico, and the goal is to reach 100,000 MT of recycling annually by building additional global recycling facilities globally.

Chaturvedi discussed the integration of AI in business, emphasising its role in boosting productivity. He simplified AI as a tireless brain and addressed challenges in waste collection, advocating for collaboration with government authorities. He said that UFlex initiatives aim to raise awareness and offer free training, underscoring India’s potential in waste management.

Chaturvedi informed that the Indian government’s plastic waste management (PWM) and extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations will transform the waste management ecosystem in India and accelerate the pivot to sustainable development and a circular economy. However, there is a need to measure recycled content in packaging accurately and avoid inconsistencies in EPR reporting.

The study report by PPRDC, supported by CIPET and BIS, is a step in the right direction that proposes the development of a standardised measurement of recycled PE content in packaging by producers, importers, and brand owners to deliver on their individual and industry EPR objectives.

The School for Advanced Research in Petrochemicals (SARP) and Laboratory for Advanced Research in Polymeric Materials (LARPM) at the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in Bhubaneswar conducted a study recently that explains a method of determining rPE content in packaging materials. The study recommends FTIR spectroscopy and DSC-based thermo-analytical techniques to develop a national standard or operating/audit process to assess and regulate the recycled content of PCR plastic packaging. This helps discourage practices like greenwashing and waste fraud that diminish circularity and erode public trust in plastic recycling.

This study report is built on previous findings of SARP-LARPM, CIPET, in collaboration with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT-Delhi, for the method of determination and estimation of mechanically recycled PET content in packaging materials.