New Award for EPR Leadership added for 2026

The third edition of the Plastics Recycling Awards India are now open for entries. Recognising excellence and innovation across India’s plastics recycling value chain, the awards celebrate outstanding achievement in advancing circular economy solutions, sustainable materials management and responsible plastics recycling across the country. This year’s awards introduce the new category of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) Leadership.

Winners will be announced live at the Plastics Recycling Show India exhibition in Mumbai on 1st September, providing finalists with national and international industry visibility in front of key decision-makers from across the plastics and recycling sectors.

Award categories for 2026 are:

• Best Community Effort for Recycling
• EPR Leadership
• Plastics Recycling Ambassador
• Plastics Recycling Company of the Year
• Recycled Plastic Product of the Year
• Recycled Plastic Packaging Product of the Year
• Technology and Innovation Award

The awards are open to organisations and individuals across the entire plastics recycling ecosystem, including recyclers, machinery manufacturers, technology innovators, brands, packaging specialists, community initiatives and sustainability leaders.

The deadline to submit online entries is 15 July. Shortlisted finalists will be announced on 29 July.

At the 2025 edition of the Plastics Recycling Awards India, five winners were recognised for outstanding achievement across India’s plastics recycling value chain during the Plastics Recycling Show India in Mumbai.

The Best Community Effort for Recycling Award was presented to Garbage Free India, Har Ghar Hara Ghar and Clean Mumbai Foundation for their Milk Bag Project, a citizen-led initiative that has diverted millions of plastic milk bags from landfill through community collection and recycling.

The Plastics Recycling Company Award was won by Green Worms Waste Management, recognised for its large-scale, inclusive waste management model delivering environmental impact and livelihood generation.

The Recycled Plastic Product Award went to Packem Umasree for its 100% sustainable FIBC bags made entirely from post-consumer recycled PET.

The Technology and Innovation Award was awarded to Padcare Labs for its patented 5D sanitary pad recycling technology.

Sandeep Patel, Founder and CEO of NEPRA, was named Plastics Recycling Ambassador in recognition of his leadership and contribution to advancing India’s recycling and circular economy ecosystem.

Taher Patrawala, Managing Director of Media Fusion, said:

“India is home to a wide range of recycling initiatives that truly deserve recognition. Over the past two years of hosting the Plastics Recycling Awards India, we’ve seen just how much innovation and untapped potential exists within the country’s plastics recycling ecosystem. The Plastics Recycling Awards India serves as an important platform to celebrate the organisations and individuals making real, measurable progress. As the sector evolves rapidly, these awards shine a light on the ideas, efforts, and leadership that are not only innovative but also scalable — helping shape a more circular future for India.”

Matthew Barber, Director of Global Trade Shows at Crain Communications, added:

“We’re pleased to see the Plastics Recycling Awards India go from strength to strength as India’s prominence in plastics recycling continues to rise on the global stage. Building on nine years of the Plastics Recycling Awards in Europe, the 2026 edition in India reflects the growing depth of innovation, investment and collaboration across the entire value chain, and we look forward to celebrating this year’s finalists and winners live at PRS India in Mumbai this September.”

The awards are organised by Media Fusion and Crain Communications as part of the Plastics Recycling Show India, which brings together key stakeholders from across the plastics and recycling industries to showcase innovation, share best practice, network and do business.

More information and entry details: https://www.prseventindia.com/