en.Wedoany.com Reported - The international manufacturing and plastic packaging group Chemco Group has obtained authorization from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to produce food-grade recycled PET (rPET) resin for food contact applications, in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. This authorization makes Chemco one of the few companies in India permitted to manufacture food-grade rPET resin for direct food contact packaging.
This authorization was granted following the commissioning of Chemco's bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in Sanand, Gujarat. The plant, with an investment of approximately INR 1.25 billion, is designed to recycle over 1 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually to produce food-grade rPET resin for the food and beverage packaging sector.
The plant utilizes a Starlinger bottle-to-bottle recycling system, with its process development aligned with the requirements of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, and the applicable standards of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for recycled PET materials. The facility holds FSSC 22000 certification and operates within the framework of recycling processes recognized by the US FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food contact applications using recycled PET.
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, manufacturers seeking authorization for food contact applications must demonstrate capabilities in traceability, process control, testing, and compliance measures to verify the safety and suitability of the material.
Vaibhav Saraogi, Director of Chemco Group, stated that obtaining FSSAI authorization for food-grade rPET is a significant step for Chemco and the development of circular packaging infrastructure in India. With growing demand for compliant recycled content, particularly in food and beverage packaging, establishing reliable domestic manufacturing capacity supported by regulatory discipline, traceability, and consistent quality standards becomes crucial. The investment in bottle-to-bottle recycling aims to support brand owners' sustainability and supply chain reliability. This approval enhances the group's ability to supply food-grade recycled materials that meet stringent safety and compliance expectations, while supporting India's transition to circular packaging.
This authorization comes amid tightening mandatory recycled content obligations under the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules. For Category I rigid plastic packaging, which includes PET bottles and containers, minimum recycled content requirements have been set at: 40% for FY 2026-27, 50% for FY 2027-28, and 60% from FY 2028-29 onwards. These requirements are expected to increase demand for domestically available, compliant food-grade recycled materials, particularly for beverage, food, and fast-moving consumer goods packaging.
Chemco has developed the Sanand plant as an integrated bottle-to-bottle platform. The company states that by combining food-grade rPET resin production with downstream packaging capabilities within the group, it ensures traceability, supply chain reliability, and quality consistency. The project also contributes to job creation in Gujarat and supports India's broader goals of resource efficiency and waste reduction.
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