EPR Plastic Waste Compliance in India Just Changed: Here's What Your Business Needs to Know

March 31 2026. That's when the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026 under G.S.R. 237(E) came into force. For producers, importers, and brand owners using plastic packaging in India, several things changed at once.

EPR plastic registration is still the starting point. But what comes after registration now carries far more weight than it did even a year ago. Annual targets have stepped up. Certificate markets are regulated differently. Audits are mandatory. And recycled content requirements are no longer aspirational.

Five Changes That Affect Your Business Right Now

Third-party audits are mandatory: Every CPCB EPR plastic registration holder must now have certificate procurement and recycling data verified by a Registered Environment Auditor. CPCB audits in 2024 found several lakh fraudulent certificates. Environmental Compensation notices worth approximately Rs. 355 crore followed. The 2026 rules respond to that directly.

Target shortfalls carry forward, with conditions: If your EPR plastic waste management targets for FY 2025-26 weren't met, the shortfall doesn't disappear. It carries forward for up to three years from FY 2026-27. At least one-third must be cleared each year.

Certificate trading is portal-only now: EPR plastic certificate transactions must go through the CPCB EPR plastic portal at eprplastic.cpcb.gov.in. Offline trades aren't recognised. Certificates are also category-specific: a Category I certificate won't satisfy a Category III obligation.

End-of-Life definitions are wider: Co-processing, waste-to-energy, waste-to-oil, road construction and feedstock conversion all formally qualify as End-of-Life disposal now. Earlier ambiguity about which methods count toward targets is gone.

Recycled content is now mandatory: From FY 2025-26 all plastic packaging must incorporate a minimum percentage of recycled content under IS 14534:2023. Imported recycled content doesn't count. Packaging with recycled content must display a label stating the percentage.

Recycling Targets for 2026-27

Targets reach 80% and 60% respectively from 2027-28 onwards.

How EPR Registration for Plastic Waste Works

EPR registration for plastic waste runs through eprplastic.cpcb.gov.in. No offline process exists.

Steps:

1. Register an account with company information, GST and plastic packaging information

2. Choose entity category: Producer, Importer, brand owner or Plastic waste processor

3. Make an application with relevant documents

4. The application is reviewed by CPCB; there could be some queries raised

5. Once approved the EPR plastic certificate along with registration number is issued to you online

6. Form IV filing has to be done annually by June 30 every year

7. Starting July 1 2025 you also have to mention the CPCB EPR plastic registration number of your product in QR code/barcode format on pack

From July 1 2025 all plastic packaging must also display your CPCB EPR plastic registration number via QR code, barcode or unique identifier on pack.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Environmental Compensation under CPCB's April 2024 guidelines:

Payment of EC does not fulfill the responsibility. Deficit will carry forward. Non-compliance on an ongoing basis may result in CPCB EPR plastic registration cancellation, thus making sales of plastic packaging products illegal. Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act provides penalty of fine up to Rs. 1 Lakh per day.

Agile Regulatory provides services for EPR plastic registration CPCB EPR plastic targets management EPR for plastic waste certificate and annual return filing all over PAN India. We provide services for Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and other cities. Get your EPR plastic waste registration done before the next deadline.