The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (“Ministry”) has issued draft Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2025 (“Draft Amendment Rules”) to amend the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (“Principal Rules”). Objections and suggestions may be addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, Aliganj, New Delhi-110003 or through email: sohsmd-mef@gov.in by 4th August 2025.
Background:
The Ministry had notified the Principal Rules in 2016 to provide statutory framework for plastic waste management in the country in an environmentally sound manner. In order to further strengthen the effective implementation of Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility on Plastic packaging, amendments are being proposed to remove certain difficulties.
Key Highlights:
- Proposal to introduce exemption to Importer/Brand Owner in case obligation in respect of recycled plastic content cannot be met on account of statutory or technical requirements which will be granted by Central Pollution Control Board on case-to-case basis.
- Proposal to use recycled plastic content in plastic packaging used in food contact applications by Producer/ Importer/Brand Owners.
- Proposal to carry forward any shortfall remaining in the fulfilment of mandatory use of recycled plastic in plastic packaging for the year 2025-26 and for a period of three years over and above the target mandated for those years.
- Proposal to omit the requirement to reduce the reuse of Category-I rigid plastic packaging from the total plastic packaging by Brand Owners.
- Proposal to introduce minimum obligation to re-use Category-I (rigid plastic packaging) used for packaging of drinking water and products other than drinking water by Brand Owners.
Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
