The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed all stakeholders to immediately ensure registration on the Centralised EPR Portal. 

Under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), manufacturers, producers, and importers are responsible for the collection, recycling, and proper disposal of plastic packaging waste placed by them in the market.

Indian companies now not only have to maintain their own registration but also check the EPR registration status of their suppliers and buyers.

EPR Schemes

According to the UNEP’s 2025 Annual Report, around 40 countries have EPR schemes up and running, while 12 nations are in the early stages of developing EPR policies.

The EU is also tightening packaging rules. From 12 August 2026, provisions of the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation have begun to apply, with measures aimed at reducing packaging waste, increasing reuse, and promoting the use of recycled plastic.

Sanjay Paladia, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Gujarat State Plastic Manufacturers Association (GSPMA), told The Secretariat, “EPR is already in force in the plastic packaging sector, but those who have not yet registered should do so, as the move would be useful in reducing pollution.” 

Non-compliance may invite action under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

According to the Environment Ministry’s annual report, 57,746 producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) and 3,012 Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs) were registered as of January 2026.  

The new provisions, however, mention exceptions for transactions involving Micro & Small Brand Owners and Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs).

What This Means

The decision takes compliance responsibility for plastic packaging companies one step further. 

For packaging manufacturers, importers, brand owners and recyclers, consistency in purchase-sale documentation, transaction reporting, and annual returns will become increasingly important. 

Put simply, CPCB’s message is: stay registered, transact with registered entities, and maintain a proper digital record of every transaction. Continuing business with unregistered suppliers or buyers may amount to a violation of rules.

Non-Compliance Observed

CPCB has taken steps in response to two major forms of non-compliance observed on the ground. 

One, some entities have a statutory obligation to register but are still unregistered. And two, purchase and sale transactions relating to plastic packaging are taking place between registered and unregistered entities, which is contrary to the regulatory framework. 

The message is clear: CPCB is no longer looking only at whether a company is registered, but also at whom it does business with. 

On The Transaction Trail

CPCB will now be tracking the entire transaction chain through a digital trail. 

G. Thirumurthy, Director and Divisional Head (DH) of the Urban Pollution Control-II, CPCB, said in the notice that the move is aimed at strengthening the transaction-based reporting mechanism on the Centralised EPR Portal. 

The recording of purchase/sale transactions with unregistered entities will be stopped on the portal. This means registering the business may no longer be enough, and the registration status of suppliers and buyers would be critical. 

The Centralised EPR Portal is increasingly becoming a digital compliance backbone for the plastic industry. It covers registration, transaction reporting, EPR target compliance and annual return filing. 

CPCB has also issued a Guidance Manual to facilitate certificate generation/transfer and return filing.

Companies that register on the portal have to ensure: mandatory recycling targets, reuse of packaging wherever applicable, use of recycled plastic in packaging, making sure waste reaches authorised recyclers/processors, recording recycling details on the EPR Portal, and environmental compensation for non-compliance.

Industry View

A senior official of a leading namkeen maker told The Secretariat that the company was already following the compliance norms. “If you look at our packaging, we display the details of the packaging material’s manufacturer. We are meeting EPR norms,” the official said.

A leading plastic manufacturer said the overall level of compliance was high. Alluding to the latest directive, he said, “Perhaps this applies to small-time manufacturers who have cared little to meet the EPR parameters.” 

India’s plastic packaging industry is worth US$ 22.44 billion, with the food sector being the largest end user. Indian plastics are exported to around 200 countries. 

Plastic Demand

According to the Plastic Industry Status Report 2025, India’s polymer demand stood at 28.19 million tonnes (MT) in FY2024-25 and is projected to rise to more than 42 MT by FY2030-31. Thermoplastics accounted for 25.66 MT of total demand, while commodity plastics accounted for 86.7%.

Packaging, FMCG, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and infrastructure are expected to remain the key drivers of rising plastic demand. To meet this growth, an investment of around ₹1.90 lakh crore in machinery, moulds, and converting lines is projected by FY2030-31. 

More than 19,300 processing machines were installed in FY2024-25, taking the country’s total processing machinery base to over 2.56 lakh units, with processing capacity of around 81 MT. The overall Indian plastics ecosystem was valued at approximately ₹9.03 lakh crore in FY2024-25.

Responsibility For Plastic

Indian environmentalist Mahesh Pandya said plastic discarded on land remains for a long time and can eventually break down into smaller pieces and microplastics. It can affect soil and water quality and clog drainage systems. 

“When plastic reaches the sea, it poses a serious threat to marine animals. Microplastics can also enter the food chain. Coastal studies in India have raised concerns about the accumulation of microplastics on beaches and in coastal waters,” he said.

According to him, registration on the portal alone will not solve India’s plastic problem. “What is equally important is ensuring what plastic companies put into the market is collected back in the required quantity, recycled, and properly disposed of.”

According to Ministry of Environment and CPCB data, India generated 41.27 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in 2020–21, which rose to 41.36 lakh tonnes in 2022–23. It then declined sharply to 26.82 lakh tonnes in 2023–24 and further to 17.63 lakh tonnes in 2024–25.