India Joins 15-Nation ‘Plastic Reboot’ Conference in Brazil to Advance Circular Plastics
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 14: Life Below Water
Institutions: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
India has joined 15 countries at the inaugural Plastic Reboot Annual Conference held in Salvador, Brazil (22–24 Oct 2025), hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The initiative, worth USD 108 million, aims to redesign plastic value chains across production, consumption, and disposal to enable a global circular plastics economy.
The Plastic Reboot programme (2025–2030) focuses on sectors such as food and beverage packaging, tourism, and industrial waste reduction, helping countries implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), improve recycling systems, and curb marine litter. UNEP estimates that such upstream reforms could save USD 70 billion in waste-management costs and avert USD 4.5 trillion in social and environmental damages by 2040. India’s participation aligns with its Plastic Waste Management Rules, national EPR framework, and the vision of a resource-efficient, low-waste economy.
India’s involvement reinforces its global role in shaping circular-plastics governance. The programme’s design complements domestic efforts under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, EPR Guidelines, and the National Resource Efficiency Policy. It can strengthen India’s regulatory frameworks and access to international financing and knowledge partnerships for sustainable plastics management.
What is a Circular Plastics Economy? → A circular plastics economy keeps plastics in use for as long as possible through reuse, redesign, recycling, and responsible recovery. Instead of the linear “take-make-dispose” pattern, it aims to eliminate waste and pollution, retain materials within production cycles, and regenerate natural systems—turning plastics from pollutants into resources.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India leverage its participation in Plastic Reboot to align domestic EPR systems and recycling innovations with emerging global standards for circular plastics?
Follow the full news here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/countries-gather-brazil-inaugural-plastic-reboot-annual-conference