Chemco Group, an international manufacturing and plastic packaging conglomerate, has secured authorisation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to produce food-grade recycled PET (rPET) resin intended for direct food contact applications. This approval, granted under the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, places Chemco among an elite group of companies in India certified to manufacture rPET resin suitable for food-contact packaging.
Strategic Milestone for Circular Packaging
The authorisation represents a significant regulatory achievement for India's recycled plastics sector, given the stringent standards governing materials that come into direct contact with food and beverages. Under the Packaging Regulations, manufacturers must demonstrate robust traceability, process control, testing, and compliance measures to ensure material safety. Chemco's approval comes shortly after the commissioning of its large-scale bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in Sanand, Gujarat, which involved an investment of approximately Rs. 125 crore. This integrated facility is designed to recycle over 1 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually, converting them into high-quality food-grade rPET resin for food and beverage packaging.
State-of-the-Art Technology and Compliance
Chemco's food-grade rPET facility is equipped with a Starlinger bottle-to-bottle recycling system, incorporating globally recognised technology tailored for food-contact applications. The plant has been developed to meet India's food-contact regulatory requirements under the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, along with applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications for recycled PET materials. Its compliance framework is underpinned by robust quality, traceability, and food safety systems, including FSSC 22000 certification, and aligns with recycling process frameworks recognised by the US FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food-contact rPET applications.
Vaibhav Saraogi, Director of Chemco Group, commented on the development: "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."
Impact on India's Packaging Industry
The approval arrives at a critical juncture for India's packaging sector, 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 set at 40% for FY 2026-27, 50% for FY 2027-28, and 60% from FY 2028-29 onwards. These mandates are expected to significantly boost demand for domestically available, compliant food-grade recycled materials, particularly for beverage, food, and FMCG packaging applications. Industry players are increasingly seeking reliable local sources of food-grade rPET capable of supporting both regulatory compliance and long-term sustainability commitments.
Integrated Manufacturing and Supply Chain Benefits
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. This integrated model positions the Group among a select few packaging manufacturers globally capable of supporting large-scale recycled-content packaging requirements for leading consumer brands.
Beyond environmental impact, the project contributes to skilled employment generation, strengthens Gujarat's position as a manufacturing and sustainability hub, and supports India's broader objectives of resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular manufacturing. With FSSAI authorisation now secured, Chemco further solidifies its role as a long-term partner for companies seeking credible, compliant, and scalable food-grade recycled packaging solutions in India.
About Chemco Group
Chemco is an international manufacturing group with over four decades of operating history across plastics and polymer-based products. The Group 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. The Group serves a wide range of sectors through advanced manufacturing capabilities including moulding, extrusion, recycling, and engineered polymer applications. Sustainability and circularity remain central to Chemco's long-term growth strategy, with recent investments focused on food-grade bottle-to-bottle rPET recycling and rPET FIBC and industrial packaging solutions. Chemco remains committed to responsible manufacturing, regulatory compliance, operational scale, and long-term value creation.
