Why India’s Plastic EPR Relies on Informal Waste Systems
The Gap Between Regulation and Reality in Plastic Waste Management
India’s EPR for plastic waste is often described as one of the most comprehensive regulatory frameworks for managing post-consumer plastic. On paper, it is structured, measurable, and enforceable.
Producers declare plastic usage. Targets are assigned. Recycling must be ensured. Compliance is reported.
But what is rarely discussed is this:
The success of EPR India does not come from the policy itself. It comes from a parallel system that the policy depends on but does not fully control.
