India is taking a powerful leap toward a more sustainable and transparent future in waste management. With a crucial amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has announced a groundbreaking regulatory shift. From July 1st, 2025, plastic packaging across the Indian market will be required to carry detailed product information ushering in a new era of accountability, traceability, and environmental responsibility.

At Race Eco Chain, we believe this is not just a regulation it’s a defining moment for India’s circular economy. And we’re ready to lead from the front.

What’s Changing?

The amendment focuses on Rule 11 of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, which mandates that every producer, importer, and brand owner (collectively known as PIBOs) must provide clear and traceable information on plastic packaging. This information must include:

• The PIBO’s name
• A registration number issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• Essential product details

This data must be displayed through one of the following:

• An on-pack barcode or QR code
• A product information brochure accompanying the packaging
• Or a unique number printed on the pack (subject to compliance with Rule 11)

This move is a strong alignment with India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. It aims to track the lifecycle of plastic products from origin to disposal, ensuring that companies remain accountable for the waste they generate.

Digital Traceability for Environmental Impact

This amendment is not just about marking packages, it’s about ushering in digital traceability. By making plastic packaging easily identifiable and linking it back to the producer, these regulations empower both authorities and consumers with critical information.

PIBOs are required to notify the CPCB of the labelling method used. The compiled data will be made publicly available on the CPCB website, which will be updated quarterly. This public database will create unprecedented transparency in the plastic packaging supply chain, driving sustainable innovation and responsible packaging decisions.

Rule 19: Sanctions for Non-Compliance

The newly introduced Rule 19 adds a layer of enforcement that was previously missing. It empowers authorities to act against non-compliant organizations or individuals under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act.

Penalties under Rule 19 include:

• An initial monetary fine
• A daily accumulating fine until compliance is met

These strict enforcement tools reflect the government’s intent to drive real, measurable change and ensure the EPR guidelines are not just theoretical—but actually followed.

Race Eco Chain’s Role in the New Waste Management Era

At Race Eco Chain, we see this in synchronization of our mission. We have always focused on organizing the un-organized waste industry in India by working on digital integration and supply chain transparency. This policy aligns perfectly with the work we are doing to streamline the collection, traceability, and recycling of waste across India by making our suppliers ESG compliant, launching RACE App for creating online waste marketplace, establishing collection centers across districts and many more work which ensure that every waste collected is accounted for, creating a closed-loop system.

Conclusion: Towards a Cleaner, Smarter Future

India’s updated plastic waste management laws mark a bold step forward. By enforcing digital traceability and imposing strict penalties for non-compliance, the government is sending a strong message: the days of unchecked plastic pollution are numbered. For companies, this is a wake-up call but also a golden opportunity. It’s time to innovate, to invest in sustainability, and to build responsible systems.

The future of waste management is here and it’s digital, transparent, and circular. Let’s lead it together.

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