Page 28 - Plastics News March 2025
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ENVIRONMENT NEWS
West Bengal Attracts Fresh Investments
in Plastic Recycling Amid
lastic recycling in West Bengal is set to recycling facility in Kharagpur. This investment
receive a significant boost as stricter Ex- underscores the increasing interest of global fi-
Ptended Producer Responsibility (EPR) nancial institutions in supporting India’s recycling
regulations and a growing demand for sustain- sector.
able solutions drive fresh investments in the sec-
tor. Industry experts anticipate a major invest- INDPLAS’25: Catalyzing Investment and Inno-
ment cycle, positioning the state as a key hub vation
for recycling-based industries. The 10th edition of INDPLAS’25, the triennial
flagship international plastics exhibition of IPF,
Lalit Agarwal, President of the Indian Plastics
Federation (IPF), emphasized that the union was inaugurated on Friday. The four-day B2B
government’s EPR norms, which will mandate a event, the largest of its kind in eastern India, is
minimum of 25% recycled plastic in packaging expected to attract over 400 exhibitors and one
from April 1, 2025, will accelerate investments in lakh visitors, including representatives from a
recycling projects. These initiatives will not only dozen foreign companies from countries such
support the circular economy but also reduce as China and the US.
environmental impact by increasing plastic re- West Bengal’s Industries Minister Shashi Panja
use. and Principal Secretary Vandana Yadav inaugu-
rated the event, highlighting the state’s strong
"With the push from the government, a fresh
investment cycle is expected to begin in plas- commitment to fostering the plastics industry
tic recycling. It may even match the investment and boosting investments.
pipeline for plastic processing in the near fu- Ashok Jajodia, Chairman of the INDPLAS’25
ture," Agarwal noted. West Bengal has set an Organising Committee, stated, “INDPLAS’25 is
ambitious target of ₹3,000 crore in capital ex- more than just an exhibition. It is a platform for
penditure for plastic processing units in the com- collaboration, innovation, and investment. With
ing years, with ₹450 crore worth of recycling- the rapid development of the plastics sector in
based projects already in the pipeline, according eastern India, this event will catalyze new busi-
to Alok Tibrewal, Chairman of the IPF National ness opportunities and technological advance-
Advisory Board. ments.”
Adding to this momentum, British International As part of the event, the Invest Bengal Seminar
Investment (BII) has signed a memorandum of provided insights into West Bengal’s evolving in-
understanding (MoU) with Magpet Polymers, dustrial landscape, available investor incentives,
committing ₹205 crore ($24 million) in long-term and the government’s vision to establish the
financing for expanding Magpet’s PET bottle state as a leading plastics manufacturing hub.
28 PLASTICS NEWS March 2025
