Targets escalate; certificate prices rise
EPR targets escalate annually. Cat-I (rigid) targets reach 100% by 2028. Brands relying on certificate purchase rather than physical recovery face increasing compliance cost as the certificate pool tightens.
PRO consolidation is real — top-5 PROs handle ~60% of the volume. Smaller PROs are losing CPCB recognition for documentation gaps.
§ KEY TAKEAWAYS
- 01Build physical recovery partnerships, not just certificate procurement
- 02Lock 3-year PRO contracts at fixed strip pricing
- 03Cat-IV multilayer is hardest to recover — design out where possible
- 04Audit your PRO's CPCB standing annually
§ GLOSSARY
Technical jargon, acronyms and scientific terms used in this file — decoded.
- EPR
- Extended Producer Responsibility — makes brands financially liable for end-of-life packaging.
- PRO
- Producer Responsibility Organisation — third-party agent that collects, recycles and issues EPR certificates on behalf of brands.
- CPCB
- Central Pollution Control Board — national environmental regulator that oversees EPR compliance.
- Cat-IV multilayer
- Multi-layer flexible packaging (e.g. metallised pouches) that cannot be mechanically recycled.
- EPR certificate
- Tradeable proof-of-recovery instrument issued by PROs; brands buy these to meet annual targets.
