What reuse target applies to rigid plastic packaging under India's plastic packaging producer responsibility guidelines, and how is the reused quantity counted?
From 2025-26 the Schedule II guidelines make a brand owner using Category I rigid plastic packaging reuse a share of it. For packs from 0.9 up to 4.9 litres or kilograms the share is 10% rising to 25% from 2028-29. For packs of 4.9 litres or kilograms and above it is 70% rising to 85%.
The reuse targets
- Packs of 0.9 litres or kilograms and above but less than 4.9: 10% in 2025-26, 15% in 2026-27, 20% in 2027-28, 25% from 2028-29.
- Packs of 4.9 litres or kilograms and above: 70% in 2025-26, 75% in 2026-27, 80% in 2027-28, 85% from 2028-29.
- The target is a percentage of the Category I rigid plastic packaging in the products the brand owner sells each year.
- Reuse of rigid packaging in food contact is subject to regulation by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
How the reused quantity is counted
Paragraph 7.4(b) says the quantity of rigid packaging reused is calculated by reducing the virgin plastic packaging manufactured, imported or purchased in that year from the brand owner's sales, and the brand owner gives this on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) portal. The reused quantity is then taken out of the total Category I packaging counted for the brand owner's extended producer responsibility (EPR). The brand owner's base is the average weight of virgin packaging purchased and introduced, so, as I read it, reuse lowers the base.
The rule's own example, 2025-26
- 100 tonnes of Category I packs in the 0.9 to under 4.9 band. Reuse 15 tonnes, which is 15%, against a 10% minimum.
- Fresh packaging introduced: 100 minus 15 = 85 tonnes. EPR target at 100% of 85 = 85 tonnes.
- Recycling at the 60% minimum for Category I in 2025-26: 0.60 x 85 = 51 tonnes. At most 85 minus 51 = 34 tonnes can go to energy recovery, co-processing, road construction or waste to oil.
At the 10% minimum, same pack mix, 2025-26 (my variant of the rule's example)
- Reuse 10 tonnes. Fresh packaging 100 minus 10 = 90 tonnes. EPR target at 100% = 90 tonnes
- Recycling at 60%: 0.60 x 90 = 54 tonnes. Remaining at most 36 tonnes for other routes
- In the 4.9 litres and above band, the 2025-26 minimum is 70%: 100 tonnes sold, 70 reused, 30 fresh, target 30 tonnes
The tonnages are examples. Percentages and the method are the guidelines' own.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills into records, so the diesel, fuel and power your site uses are on file. These rules are filed on government portals, outside Senseible's records.
- How to calculate a plastic packaging obligation
- Recycled plastic content targets
- Surplus plastic certificates and offsets
- BRSR reporting
Sources: MoEFCC, Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, Schedule II guidelines, paragraph 7.4(b)
Last reviewed 2026-11-05. The reuse percentages and the tonne examples were not checked against the Schedule II text, so confirm them in the current guidelines. Read against the amendments of July 2022, April 2023 and October 2023 on the Ministry's page. Later changes may exist on the CPCB portal; confirm the current Schedule II before you set reuse targets.