Chemco Secures FSSAI Authorisation to Manufacture Food-Grade rPET Resin for Food Contact Packaging

Chemco Group, an international manufacturing and plastic packaging group, has obtained 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 authorisation places the company among a limited number of manufacturers in India approved to produce food-grade rPET resin suitable for direct food-contact packaging applications. The development represents a milestone in the country’s efforts to expand circular packaging infrastructure while meeting regulatory requirements.

The approval comes after the recent commissioning of Chemco’s bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in Sanand, Gujarat. Developed with an investment of approximately ₹125 crore, the integrated facility has the capacity to recycle more than 1 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually and convert them into food-grade recycled PET resin for food and beverage packaging applications.

The facility is equipped with a Starlinger bottle-to-bottle recycling system designed for food-contact applications. It has been established to comply with India’s food-contact regulations under the Food Safety & Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018, as well as applicable Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) requirements for recycled PET materials.

According to the company, compliance measures at the facility include quality, traceability and food safety systems supported by FSSC 22000 certification. The recycling process framework is also aligned with systems recognised by the US FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food-contact recycled PET applications.

FSSAI authorisation for food-contact recycled materials is subject to regulatory requirements that include traceability, process controls, testing protocols and compliance measures to ensure material safety and suitability for food and beverage packaging.

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 approval comes as recycled-content obligations under the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules continue to become more stringent. 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.

These requirements are expected to increase demand for domestically available food-grade recycled materials across beverage, food and FMCG packaging segments. Industry stakeholders are seeking local sources of food-grade rPET to support compliance with regulatory requirements and sustainability targets.

The Sanand facility has been developed as a fully integrated bottle-to-bottle recycling platform, combining food-grade rPET resin production with downstream packaging capabilities within the Group. According to the company, this approach supports traceability, supply-chain reliability and quality consistency across the manufacturing process.

In addition to its recycling operations, the project contributes to skilled employment generation and supports Gujarat’s manufacturing sector, while aligning with broader goals related to resource efficiency, waste reduction and circular manufacturing.

With FSSAI authorisation now in place, Chemco will manufacture food-grade recycled PET resin for companies requiring compliant recycled packaging materials for food-contact applications in India.