Plastic Waste Segregation and Its Impact on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Traceability Systems
Let’s be honest — plastic waste segregation isn’t exactly the most glamorous topic on Earth. Nobody wakes up excited to talk about separating PET bottles from multilayer chips packets. But here’s the important thing: this not-so-fancy act is the backbone of India’s entire Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ecosystem. If segregation goes wrong, the entire system for traceability of plastic waste streams collapses faster than a tower of wet cardboard. India’s plastic waste problem has evolved beyond the usual "clean your neighbourhood" campaigns. The real issue today isn’t just about collecting plastic — it’s about tracking it. Every brand, recycler, and Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) now needs to prove, digitally, that the plastic they produce or recover has been responsibly managed. And that proof starts with one small but mighty step — segregation at source. Without proper segregation, there’s chaos: contaminated feedstock, unverifiable recycling cla...