PET bottle-to-bottle recycling to mitigate effects of climate change

It aims to recycle 25% of India’s PET bottle waste by 2026.

The two new Starlinger recoSTAR PET 165 HC iV+ recycling lines are set up at the recycling facility of Ganesha Ecopet Private Ltd. in Warangal, Telangana State. The company, a subsidiary of Indian PET recycling pioneer Ganesha Ecosphere Ltd., already produces recycled PET flakes and pellets for food-grade packaging as well as for filament yarns and fibres on two Starlinger lines installed in 2022. The new recycling lines are in operation since mid-2024 and triple Ganesha Ecopet’s annual production of bottle-grade rPET, raising it from 14,000 tons to a total of 42,000 tons.

EPR and consumers drive demand for sustainable products

The increasing demand for food-safe recycled PET in India has two main reasons. On the one hand, the Indian government has introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for importers, brand owners and plastic waste processors as part of its Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules in 2022 to ensure systematic collection of plastic waste. In addition, the rules stipulate that brand owners and producers must include a 30% share of post-consumer recycled content in PET bottles by 2025, with the share being gradually increased each year to reach 60% by 2029.

On the other hand, consumer preferences in India are changing, with sustainability being one of the top five factors for purchasing a product. Especially the large number of young consumers —i.e. millennials and generation Z— are increasingly demanding products and packaging that do not harm our planet. Brands respond to that by creating supply chains and packaging that are circular and sustainable. Recycled PET is one of the most convincing options for plastic packaging, given its continuous recyclability and lower carbon footprint compared to other alternatives, while not compromising on production scale, durability, or quality.

Focusing on sustainable production, Ganesha Ecopet also minimized the process-related carbon emissions by recycling and reusing 95% of the consumed water as well as increasing the use of renewables in plant operations. With a total production capacity of 42,000 tons of food-grade recycled post-consumer PET per year, the PET recycling company caters to Indian, US, and European markets.

Incentives for improving the Indian waste management sector

Ganesha Ecopet sources post-consumer PET bottles from every possible channel: online, offline, and through more than 300 suppliers and aggregators across India. The Indian government has set a focus on improving the waste management sector. Due to the size and efficiency of the already existing informal waste collection network, through which around 95% of PET waste —one of the highest rates worldwide— in India is collected and recycled, the main goal is to optimize the current systems. There are various start-ups that are tackling multiple aspects, from piloting deposit return/refund schemes to online scrap marketplaces. The government also plays an important role by setting incentives for better Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and taxing unsustainable practices.