Frequently Asked Questions

The India Plastics Pact’s vision and targets are aligned with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) ’s principles to achieve a circular economy for plastics. The India Plastics Pact is fully supported by WRAP, key partner of EMF, who provide operational and technical support to many Plastics Pacts globally. The India Plastics Pact is also a part of the Plastics Pact Network convened by EMF and WRAP. The Plastics Pact Network brings together key global stakeholders from across the plastics value chain to ensure coordinated action and knowledge sharing to achieve a circular economy for plastic packaging.
In addition to the various Plastics Pacts, hundreds of companies operating in India, and globally, have signed up to the EMF’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The combination of global and national momentum towards a circular economy for plastics is a powerful force for action.

The India Plastics Pact’s targets to be achieved by 2030 are

1. Define a list of unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging and items and take measures to address them through redesign and innovation
2. 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable*.
3. 50% of plastic packaging to be effectively recycled
4. 50% of plastic packaging to be effectively recycled

*These would only include compostable plastics with all the following properties

1. do not leave any microplastic residue
2. used in closed-loop and controlled systems with sufficient infrastructure available or fit-for-purpose applications and,
3. properly labelled as 'Home' or 'Industrial' compostable.

Plastic pollution is a critical environmental issue as the demand for disposable plastic products overwhelm India’s capability to deal with them. But the plastic pollution crisis is not new and there are many important initiatives underway to help improve the plastics system in the country.

There are national and state policies, citizen awareness campaigns, individual companies carrying out initiatives and projects, technical innovations, etc. The India Plastics Pact is not intended to replicate existing efforts in India, but to accelerate and advance the great work already being done by bringing leading businesses and organisations together under one set of targets and one initiative.

It is clear that to tackle the mounting challenge of plastics pollution, solutions need to be designed for actors across the plastics value chain and must be multi-pronged, systemic, and large-scale. Government policies in conjunction with individual action can achieve a lot, but collective action of multiple stakeholders is required to unlock barriers of circularity. The India Plastics Pact provides such a platform to unite and galvanise stakeholders from across the plastics value chain. It focuses on solutions and innovations and working collectively to address the challenges associated with managing plastic packaging waste.

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, one that is rapidly turning into a crisis. The India Plastics Pact’s focus is to bring together key stakeholders from across the plastics value chain to implement practical solutions. These solutions will be shaped by the Members and Supporters of the Pact. The range of issues that the Pact will help address is likely to include

1. Limited understanding about implementation of regulatory reforms on plastic waste management.
2. Lack of end-of-life consideration for plastics in the product designing phase which limits their potential for reuse and recycling.
3. Lack of engagement and understanding of the informal waste sector by other stakeholders across the plastics value chain.
4. Limited end markets and lower demand for certain types of recycled plastics.
5. Lack of opportunities and stimuli for new business models and innovations in reuse and recycling.
6. Limited awareness among consumers on the benefits of plastics recycling.
7. Inconsistent on-pack labelling and communications on recycling.

Meeting the targets of the India Plastics Pact will require collaborative action, and this includes driving citizen engagement campaigns with the support of NGOs, research institutes, and government bodies. Through the delivery of citizen engagement campaigns, interaction, and partnerships, the India Plastics Pact will work towards educating and inspiring citizens to adopt more sustainable behaviours (such as recycling, reuse).

Members

1. Businesses that produce plastic/plastic packaging
2. Brands, retailers, importers, manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers, hospitality businesses selling products in plastic packaging and,
3. Businesses that manage, collect, recycle and/or reprocess plastic waste.

Supporters

1. Organisations and institutions that commit to supporting the delivery of the India Plastics Pact targets and,
2. Including regional, State, and Central government, NGOs, sector associations and bodies, financial institutions, academia, researchers, technology providers, informal waste sector organisations, and producer responsibility organisations.

Members report annual data which helps the Pact’s Secretariat track the progress made towards achieving the 2030 targets. The data submitted by Members is kept confidential, but their cumulative progress towards the Pact’s targets is communicated externally through an annual report.

Every stakeholder has a role to play in supporting the Pact. Businesses that are interested in being a Member of the Pact are expected to:

1. embed the India Plastics Pact’s targets in their organisation
2. contribute to the Collaborative Action Groups
3. encourage the use of recycled plastic (in packaging and products) where appropriate
4. share on-field experiences
5. report annually on progress for monitoring and,
6. pay membership dues annually

Supporters are expected to:

1. embed the India Plastics Pact’s targets in the organisations where appropriate
2. support the delivery of the Pact’s targets through the work of their organisation and,
3. cascade the outputs and guidance from the Pact to other stakeholders and citizens as appropriate

The Pact’s targets are closely aligned with the targets set out in India’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) guidelines. While the EPR guidelines have set very ambitious targets, they do not outline how businesses can achieve them. This is where the Pact steps in. The Pact will assist members in meeting their EPR targets by providing the knowledge required through access to expert advice, research projects, technical guidance, and international best practices from countries where EPR is in various stages of implementation.

The India Plastics Pact’s delivery programme aligns around the four ambitious and time-bound targets to focus action and resources based on the challenges in the Indian context. These targets will be accomplished through collaborative efforts that may focus on advancing the recyclability of packaging, increasing the use of recycled materials, and innovating sustainable and resource-efficient waste management models. The Pact identifies key milestones towards achieving the targets.

Collaborative Action Groups (CAGs) were formed to drive action towards each of the four targets, all Members and Supporters nominate themselves to the CAGs to work collaboratively. From time to time, the Pact also undertakes technical projects to strengthen collaborative action and provide credible and scientific information on the Indian plastics economy. Check out ‘Taking action’ to know what we are working on currently.