In June 2026, Chemco Group, an international manufacturing and plastic packaging group, received authorisation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to manufacture food-grade recycled PET (rPET) resin for food contact applications under the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.
The authorization allows the company to be accountable among a group of companies in India approved to manufacture food-grade rPET resin suitable for direct food-contact packaging applications, marking it an important milestone in the country’s transition towards a circular and compliant packaging ecosystem. The authorization also allows the company to supply recycled resins for direct food-contact packaging applications. The authorization also declares that the company’s decontamination and recycling processes are safe.
The approval follows Chemco's recent commissioning of its large-scale bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in Sanand, Gujarat, representing an investment of approximately Rs. 125 crore. The integrated facility has been developed to recycle more than 1 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually, converting them into high-quality food-grade recycled PET resin suitable for use in food and beverage packaging applications.
Chemo’s food-grade rPET facility is also supported by a state-of-the-art Starlinger bottle-to-bottle recycling system. It involves globally recognized recycling technology, especially designed for food-contact applications. The main aim of developing the facility is to meet India’s food-contact regulatory requirements under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, along with applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) requirements governing recycled PET materials.
FSSAI authorisation for food-contact applications is a vital regulatory milestone for India’s recycled plastics sector. It also represents that a company has passed the stringent standards to prove the essential safety measures to be taken during the manufacturing procedure. It also signifies the stringent standards governing recycled materials intended for direct contact with food and beverages. Under the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, manufacturers are required to demonstrate robust traceability, process control, testing, and compliance measures to ensure material safety and suitability for food-contact use.
Commenting on the development, Vaibhav Saraogi, Director of Chemco Group, said, "Receiving FSSAI authorisation for food-grade rPET is an important milestone not only for Chemco, but also for the broader development of circular packaging infrastructure in India. As demand for compliant recycled content continues to increase, particularly in food and beverage packaging, it becomes essential to build credible domestic manufacturing capabilities supported by regulatory discipline, traceability, and consistent quality standards. Our investment in bottle-to-bottle recycling was made with a long-term view of supporting both sustainability and supply-chain reliability for brand owners. This approval reinforces our ability to offer food-grade recycled material that meets stringent safety and compliance expectations while supporting India's transition towards circular packaging."
The companies get the approval at a particularly important time for India’s packaging industry as mandatory recycled-content obligations under the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules continue to tighten. For Category I rigid plastic packaging, including PET bottles and containers, minimum recycled-content requirements have been prescribed at 40% for FY 2026-27, 50% for FY 2027-28, and 60% from FY 2028-29 onwards. Such obligations are expected to increase the demand for domestically available, compliant food-grade recycled materials, especially for beverage, food, and FMCG packaging applications. Hence, various companies of the industry are seeking reliable local sources of food-grade rPET capable of supporting both regulatory compliance and long-term sustainability commitments.
The Sanand facility has been developed as a fully integrated bottle-to-bottle platform, strengthening Chemco's ability to support brands with compliant recycled packaging solutions through an end-to-end manufacturing approach. By combining food-grade rPET resin production with downstream packaging capabilities within the Group, Chemco offers enhanced traceability, supply-chain reliability, and quality consistency. The integrated model helps to position the group among a few packaging manufacturers in the world capable of supporting large-scale recycled content packaging requirements for renowned consumer brands.
Apart from contributions to the environmental sector, the project also contributes to skilled employment generation, strengthening Gujarat’s position as a manufacturing and sustainability hub, along with supporting India’s broader objectives of resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular manufacturing. With FSSAI authorisation now in place, Chemco further strengthens its position as a long-term partner for companies seeking credible, compliant, and scalable food-grade recycled packaging solutions in India.
Chemo is an international manufacturing group with over 40 years of operating history across plastics and polymer-based products. The group also operates a diversified network spanning more than 23 locations across India, the Middle East, and the United States, serving leading domestic and global brands across multiple industries. Chemco processes over 125,000 tonnes of plastic polymers annually and has established capabilities across rigid and flexible packaging, technical textiles, medical devices, baby care products, and sustainable materials.
31 July 2026
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