1. Please tell us about your current role. What are your key focus areas and responsibilities?
I am working as a Sales Manager in EREMA focusing on the highly potential Indian Market. As we know, after EPR Notifications and Brand owner commitments in India the complete Indian recycling market has been upgraded. Now the high demand of food grade quality pellets is on topmost Priority. This is why I am here to Promote EREMA advanced Plastic recycling technologies, especially for very high-grade Food pellets. However, EREMA is already a well-known Brand in Indian Market with the presence of more than 150 Machines especially for the Inhouse applications.

2. In your opinion, what do you consider to be the greatest development in the plastics recycling industry in recent years?
Increased in demand of high-grade Quality Pellets - In India, Plastic recycling was always there but with demand of average Quality of Pellets. But for last few years due to EPR Notifications and Brand owner commitments, demand of high Quality of Pellets (including Food grade) is significantly increased. This is why EREMA is making a strong presence in the market especially, with its advanced Food grade Technologies to bring the Quality on another level , which have been already proven worldwide. Now with such high-quality standards, recyclers are seeing the Plastic Industry as a Profitable and sustainable business.

3.What special opportunities and challenges do you see in the Indian plastics recycling market compared to other regions? The main Challenge is still the sorting different type of wastes at the source itself. Other challenge, one can see not having adequate infrastructures for Sorting & recycling facilities. Here, is the opportunity to improve the same to have the High-Quality pellets.

4.How is the Indian government's policy and regulatory framework impacting the plastics recycling industry?
Due to this Amendment 95% of the PET bottles now being recycled, around INR 10,000 Crore (100 BUSD) investment for PET has already been done in the last 3 years providing 5 Lakh tonnes (0.5 million Tonnes) annual PET recycling capabilities. Now, the high-Quality food grade PET pellets are in high demand. As per some reports, now the plastic recycling rate in India is about 60% compared to the global average of 9%,making a strong impact on the Circular economy practises. Also, the whole world is watching India on the implementation of such rules and on the outcome or further Amendments in next years.
Also, the other Industries such as Textile, already gearing themselves to recycle the fibre waste which has a lot of potential.

5. How do you see the sector developing in the next five to ten years?
The Market is very positive and growing rapidly, as per some sources, India’s Plastics recycling market valued at 9.9 million Tonnes in 2023 and projected to reach 23.7 million tonnes by 2032 with a CAGR growth of 9.86 %. One can also see that the Plastic recycling in India can go up to a one level ahead comparing to European countries , considering less OPEX which makes Payback Period very attractive.

6. You will be speaking at the Recycling and Compounding Expo in India. Could you give us a preview of what you will be talking about?
Basically, I will use this stage to discuss about various EREMA advanced Plastic recycling Technologies (machines) to produce high grade Food Pellets from Post consumer Wastes such as, FDA/EFSA/Brand owner approved pellets for Bottle & FDA approved pellets for HDPE, etc.).