When Rajesh, a packaging manufacturer in Gujarat, logged into the CPCB portal, he noticed something new — a notification about printing QR codes on every plastic wrapper. Until then, his team had focused mainly on filing returns. But from mid-2025, packaging design itself would need compliance built in.
If you are a business owner, importer, or brand owner handling plastic packaging, these changes under the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2025 directly affect you. This guide breaks down everything — registration, targets, reporting, and what’s new this year — in simple business language.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the cornerstone of India’s plastic waste regulation. It means that whoever places plastic packaging into the market — whether a manufacturer, importer, or brand owner — is also responsible for ensuring that equivalent quantities are collected, recycled, or co-processed later.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) operates India’s national Plastic EPR Portal, where all compliance activities take place. This includes:
For businesses, the portal is both a compliance tool and a proof of environmental responsibility.
If you produce, import, or sell goods in plastic packaging, you are required to register under the CPCB’s centralized EPR system.
Operating without registration can lead to rejection of tenders, blockage of sales on e-commerce platforms, and penalties under environmental law.
The registration process has been standardized to make compliance transparent and fully online.
If the application is incomplete, a digital checklist appears in your dashboard. Once verified, the certificate is auto-generated with a unique EPR Registration Number valid for five years.
Businesses should ensure that all addresses in GST, consent certificates, and registration forms match exactly — mismatched data is a common reason for rejection.
EPR targets define how much plastic waste a business must recycle or process each year. The portal auto-calculates your obligation based on sales data from previous years.
Let’s say your company introduced 100 tonnes of plastic packaging in FY 2024–25. With a 50% EPR target, you must ensure that at least 50 tonnes are recycled or co-processed through CPCB-registered Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs).
Targets are divided into:
| Financial Year | Minimum Recycling Target | Minimum Recycled Content in Packaging |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 30% of plastic introduced | 10% |
| 2024–25 | 50% | 20% |
| 2025–26 & beyond | 60–80% (depending on plastic type) | 25–30% |
These percentages vary by category — rigid plastics, multilayered packaging, compostable plastics, and single-use items each have different thresholds.
The latest amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, effective 1 July 2025, makes packaging traceable to the source.
This move eliminates ambiguity and allows regulators to track plastic right from manufacturing to post-consumer waste. It also helps consumers verify legitimate, registered brands.
Compliance doesn’t end with registration. Every PIBO must report progress on its EPR targets quarterly and annually through the portal.
A company that misses deadlines risks environmental compensation charges and difficulty in renewing registration.
If a beverage company introduced 200 tonnes of plastic packaging in 2024–25 and recycles 120 tonnes via CPCB-approved recyclers, it fulfills 60% of its target. The remaining 40% must either be met by purchasing recycling certificates or carried forward as a shortfall.
Non-compliance under EPR rules is no longer a minor administrative issue — it’s treated as an environmental violation.
CPCB also publishes defaulter lists and blocks renewal applications until all pending obligations are cleared.
EPR compliance is not just about avoiding penalties. It can:
In short, compliance today is smart business tomorrow.
The new CPCB guidelines mark a major shift from manual paperwork to digital accountability. With QR-coded packaging, real-time reporting, and higher recycling targets, plastic EPR is becoming a central part of India’s sustainability roadmap.
Whether you are a large manufacturer or a growing startup, getting your EPR process right means smoother audits, cleaner records, and stronger credibility in the market. Partnering with experts can help you avoid errors and stay future-ready.
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All Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners introducing plastic packaging into the Indian market must register on the CPCB portal.
Between 60% and 80% of plastic introduced must be recycled or co-processed, depending on packaging type.
Mandatory QR or barcode printing of EPR Registration Numbers on all packaging from 1 July 2025 and quarterly publication of compliant entities by CPCB.
By 30 June each year for the previous financial year, filed through the CPCB EPR portal.
It can face Environmental Compensation, suspension of registration, or penalties under the Environment (Protection) Act.
