What is the India Plastics Pact?

The India Plastics Pact, a Confederation of Indian Industry initiative, launched in September 2021, unites businesses, governments, NGOs, and citizens to create a circular plastics economy in India. The CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) anchors the India Plastics Pact, within CII. The India Plastics Pact’s vision is to create a world where plastic is valued and doesn’t pollute the environment. The Pact focuses on addressing the barriers to circularity in the plastic packaging sector through four ambitious time-bound targets.

Since its launch, India Plastics Pact signatories have received technical support from WRAP, a global environmental action NGO based in the UK. The Pact is the first of its kind in Asia and is part of the Global Plastics Pact Network, convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WRAP.

India Plastics Pact’s targets for 2030

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.

25%

average recycled content across all plastic packaging

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

  • a. do not leave any microplastic residue,

  • b. used in closed-loop and controlled systems with sufficient infrastructure available or fit-for-purpose applications, and,

  • c. properly labelled as ‘Home’ or ‘Industrial’ compostable.

For target-wise progress since the Pact’s launch, read India Plastics Pact Annual Report 2023-24.

The India Plastics Pact is uniting businesses, the government, NGOs and other stakeholders to:

Create a unified national framework to drive action for a circular economy for plastics.
Set a collective, national strategy to transition to a circular economy for plastics in India.
Develop a roadmap to reach the targets and stimulate progress through collaborative action-oriented workstreams.
Measure and report progress.
Empower businesses, government and stakeholders to take action across the value chain.
Catalyse effective policy to accelerate progress.
Engage citizens in the practice of reuse, recycle and reduction of plastics.
Support Members in achieving their Extended Producer Responsibility compliances.
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About the Confederation of Indian Industry

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering Industry, Government and civil society through advisory and consultative processes.