EPR Registration for Plastic Waste (Plastic Packaging)
If you put plastic packaging on the Indian market as a producer, importer or brand owner, the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 require you to register on CPCB’s centralised EPR portal and take back 100% of that packaging through recycling and other permitted routes. New 2026 amendments raise the recycled-content targets every year. We handle the registration, the data, the certificates and the returns.
What it is
EPR means Extended Producer Responsibility. The business that introduces plastic packaging into the market stays responsible for it after the customer throws it away. You do not collect the waste yourself. You buy EPR certificates from registered plastic waste processors who recycle it, and you report it on the CPCB portal.
The law is the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, made under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The EPR Guidelines notified on 16 February 2022 (Schedule II) set the targets. The rules were amended on 14 March 2024 and again by G.S.R. 237(E) dated 31 March 2026. EPR registration for plastic waste, the targets, certificates and returns all sit on CPCB’s centralised portal, eprplastic.cpcb.gov.in.
Who it applies to
Producers and brand owners
Makers of plastic packaging, and brands that sell goods packed in plastic. Since 2024 the producer definition also covers makers of intermediate packaging material and contract manufacturing of products using plastic packaging.
Importers
Anyone importing plastic packaging, goods in plastic packaging, carry bags, plastic sheets or plastic raw material for commercial use. Together, producers, importers and brand owners are called PIBOs.
Raw material makers and processors
Manufacturers of plastic raw material, compostable and biodegradable plastics, and plastic waste processors (recyclers, co-processors, waste-to-energy plants) also register on the portal.
Why it matters
Registration comes first
A PIBO needs portal registration before placing plastic packaging on the market, and the registration number goes on your records and returns.
Targets climb every year
Recycling obligations rise until 2027-28 and recycled-content targets until 2028-29. Correct tonnage at registration keeps certificate costs in proportion.
Shortfalls cost money
Unmet targets attract environmental compensation, and paying it does not cancel the obligation. Buying certificates on time costs less.
Packaging categories and targets
Your obligation is split by type of packaging. Take a Faridabad brand that sells ghee in PET jars and namkeen in foil-laminated pouches: the jars are Category I, the pouches Category III, and each carries its own target. The EPR target itself is 100% of your plastic packaging from 2023-24 onwards (it was 25% in 2021-22 and 70% in 2022-23).
| Category | What it covers | Minimum recycling, 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 onwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Rigid plastic packaging | 60% | 70% | 80% |
| II | Flexible packaging, single or multilayer plastic | 40% | 50% | 60% |
| III | Multilayered packaging with at least one non-plastic layer | 40% | 50% | 60% |
| IV | Compostable plastic packaging | 60% | 70% | 80% |
On top of recycling, brand owners must use recycled plastic in their own packaging. Under the 2026 amendment the targets are:
| Category | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 onwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I (rigid) | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% |
| II (flexible) | 10% | 10% | 20% | 20% |
| III (multilayered) | 5% | 5% | 10% | 10% |
Where FSSAI, CDSCO or the Central Insecticides Board restrict recycled plastic, the requirement can be relaxed. For food-contact uses, a shortfall may be carried forward for up to three years, clearing at least one-third each year.
Documents required
About the business
- PAN, GST registration and CIN or other registration
- Import Export Code, if you import
- Authorised person’s details and authorisation letter
- State Pollution Control Board consent, for units that manufacture
About your packaging
- Quantity of plastic packaging by category for past years, in tonnes
- Purchase and sales data that supports those figures
Declarations
- Undertaking that the information is correct
- For compostable or biodegradable plastics, the CPCB certificate
- Label details showing recycled content as per IS 14534:2023
How it works
Classify your role and packaging
We check whether you are a producer, importer or brand owner. In practice, a contract manufacturer packing for someone else’s brand counts as a producer too since the 2024 amendment. Then we sort every pack into its category.
Build the quantity data
We work out tonnes of plastic per category from your purchase and sales records and GST data. Here is the catch: invoices show units, not kilograms. We take pack weights from your specifications and convert carefully.
Register on the CPCB portal
We file the application on eprplastic.cpcb.gov.in, upload documents, pay the fee and answer any CPCB queries until the registration is granted.
Buy EPR certificates
We coordinate with registered plastic waste processors, who generate certificates on the portal. They do the recycling; we make sure the certificates match your category-wise target.
File the annual return
We file your annual return by 30 June and keep the records ready for audits under your regular compliance calendar.
Timelines
Before the first sale
Register before placing plastic packaging on the market. Say a Gurugram trader starts importing toys in blister packs next quarter. Its plastic EPR registration should be in hand before the first consignment is sold.
Annual return by 30 June
PIBOs file the annual return on the portal by 30 June for the financial year just ended, showing packaging placed, certificates bought and recycled content used.
Rising targets
Recycling obligations reach their peak in 2027-28 and recycled-content targets in 2028-29. Plan supply and certificate purchase a year ahead.
What happens if you skip EPR
Environmental compensation
CPCB levies environmental compensation on PIBOs that miss targets or operate without registration. Paying it does not remove the unmet obligation.
Penalty under the EP Act
Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 allows a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹10,000 for each day the contravention continues.
Lost supply and listings
The 2024 amendment stops plastic raw material from being sold to unregistered units, so an unregistered producer can lose its polymer supply.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs EPR registration for plastic waste?
Every producer, importer and brand owner (PIBO) that introduces plastic packaging in India must register on CPCB’s centralised EPR portal. Since the 14 March 2024 amendment this also covers makers of plastic raw material, compostable and biodegradable plastics, and contract manufacturers using plastic packaging. Plastic waste processors register too. If you are unsure of your role, we check it first from your supply chain.
What are Categories I, II, III and IV?
Category I is rigid plastic packaging, such as bottles and tubs. Category II is flexible packaging of single or multilayer plastic. Category III is multilayered packaging with at least one non-plastic layer. Category IV is compostable plastic packaging, and biodegradable plastic packaging sits in a separate Category V. Each has its own recycling obligation, so a brand using bottles and pouches has two targets. We sort your packaging before filing.
What is the EPR target for plastic packaging?
From 2023-24 onwards, the EPR target is 100% of the plastic packaging you place on the market. Within it, a minimum share must be recycled: for 2026-27, 70% for Categories I and IV and 50% for Categories II and III. These rise to 80% and 60% from 2027-28. Accurate tonnage at registration keeps the target fair.
What changed with the 2026 amendment?
The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified by G.S.R. 237(E) on 31 March 2026, revised recycled-content targets. Rigid packaging moves from 30% in 2025-26 to 60% from 2028-29. It allowed relaxation where FSSAI, CDSCO or the Central Insecticides Board restrict recycled plastic, and a three-year carry-forward for food-contact uses. We map these to your packs.
When is the annual return due?
PIBOs file the annual return on the CPCB portal by 30 June for the previous financial year. It reports plastic packaging placed on the market by category, EPR certificates used and recycled content achieved. Missing it can lead to environmental compensation. We prepare the figures from your books and file ahead of the date.
Do importers of products in plastic packaging need EPR?
Yes. The importer definition expressly covers anyone who imports a commodity with plastic packaging for commercial use, not just packaging material. So an importer of toys, electronics or cosmetics in plastic packs is a PIBO. You register before selling and meet the target with certificates. We use your bills of entry to calculate the tonnage.
What are EPR certificates and how are they priced?
EPR certificates are generated on the CPCB portal by registered plastic waste processors when they recycle or otherwise process plastic waste. PIBOs buy them to cover their targets. CPCB sets a price band, with the ceiling at 100% and the floor at 30% of the environmental compensation rate. We help you source certificates from registered processors in good time.
What is the penalty for not complying?
CPCB levies environmental compensation for unmet targets and other breaches, and paying it does not cancel the obligation. Separately, section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 allows a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹10,000 a day while the breach continues. Registering and filing on time avoids both, and we keep that calendar for you.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
CPCB’s registration fee is paid on the portal at the time of filing. EPR certificate costs depend on your tonnage, category and the price you agree with processors within CPCB’s band.
Ready to begin?
Send us your packaging list and last year’s purchase and sales data, and we will set up your plastic EPR registration.