PPRDC unveils study on safe food-grade packaging from recycled polypropylene

INDIA – The 6th Plastic Packaging Research and Development Centre (PPRDC) Summit concluded in New Delhi with a strong industry and policy push toward sustainable packaging solutions, highlighted by the unveiling of a pivotal study on the safe use of recycled polypropylene (rPP) in food-grade packaging.

Bringing together key representatives from government bodies, multinational brands, recyclers, and packaging producers, the summit focused on aligning India’s packaging sector with its ambitious goals for a circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

The centrepiece of the summit was the launch of a landmark study titled “Recycling of Post-Consumer Food-Grade Polypropylene Waste: Sustainable Valorization of Recycled PP Material.”

Developed by PPRDC, the report outlines a scientific and regulatory framework for integrating recycled polypropylene into food-contact applications.

Using advanced decontamination and double-filtration technologies, the study demonstrates how up to 60% post-consumer rPP can be safely used in the core layer of multilayered flexible packaging, without compromising food safety or performance.

Despite being the world’s second-most widely produced plastic, polypropylene currently has a recycling rate of just 3–5%.

The study aims to turn this around by showcasing the technical viability and environmental benefits of food-grade rPP, encouraging adoption across the food and beverage industry.

Government and industry leaders praised the initiative. Mr. Deepak Mishra, Joint Secretary at the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, urged the industry to “advance standards and processes for recycling materials like PE and PP” and emphasized the importance of collaborative policymaking.

Meanwhile, Prabh Das, CEO of HMEL, and Ashok Chaturvedi, CMD of UFlex, called on industry players to go beyond regulatory compliance and take proactive ownership of sustainability goals.

PPRDC Trustee and UFlex’s Sustainability Director Jeevaraj Gopal Pillai highlighted technological strides already made, such as integrating rPP in non-contact food packaging layers and leveraging AI-enabled sorting systems to improve recycling quality and traceability.

The summit also hosted global voices like Jacob Duer, President of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, who framed the issue as both a challenge and opportunity to “retain plastic’s value in the economy and out of the environment.”

As India moves toward mandatory recycled content thresholds, 20% in flexible packaging and 10% in multilayered formats by 2027–28, the PPRDC report marks a major step in enabling safer, scalable, and policy-aligned adoption of recycled plastics.

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