Kolkata, July 30 -- The ambitious circular economy goals envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to face a major setback, with the recycled PET (r-PET) industry sounding the alarm over poor uptake of recycled plastic by major brand owners.

Despite the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) mandating the use of 30 percent recycled content in rigid Category-1 PET packaging used by beverage companies-effective from April 1, 2025-brand owners are reportedly dragging their feet on procurement, citing confusion stemming from proposed amendments to the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules recently.

The MoEFCC's proposed amendment issued on June 3, 2025, allows brand owners to carry forward shortfalls in meeting the...