by Dr.
Recycled or Biodegradable Plastic: Which Is Better in India?
A seller who wants to "go green" with plastic usually has two choices in front of them. A bag made from recycled plastic, or a bag sold as biodegradable or compostable.
My answer, for most Indian packaging, is recycled. We make both plastic and paper packaging at JPPL, so I have no reason to push one material over another. I just want the bag to do some good after it is thrown away.
The biodegradable bag sounds better. The recycled bag usually does more good. Let me explain why, and also where recycled plastic is the wrong choice.
What is the difference between the two?
Recycled plastic is made from plastic that has already been used once. It is collected, sorted, washed, shredded, melted and made into new granules, which then go into new film or products. It is the same polymer. It just works a second time.
Biodegradable and compostable plastics are a different material. They are designed to be broken down by microbes into water, carbon dioxide and biomass. Many are made from plant sources such as corn starch or sugarcane.
The catch is in one word, conditions. These materials break down properly only in the right environment. A compostable bag usually needs a composting facility with the right heat and moisture. A bag that lands in a normal dustbin, a dumpsite or a drain does not get those conditions, and there it can sit for a very long time, looking much like any other plastic bag. That is the problem.
What do Indian rules say about "biodegradable"?
In March 2024, the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024 tightened the definition. Biodegradable plastic now has to break down in a specified environment, such as soil or landfill, without leaving any microplastics behind. Microplastics are defined as solid plastic particles between 1 and 1,000 microns.
That is a high bar, and I think it is the right one. Some products were sold as "biodegradable" only because they broke into small pieces. Those pieces have not gone anywhere. They are just harder to collect.
So if a supplier tells you a bag is biodegradable, ask for the test report and the certification behind that claim. A sales line is not proof.
Why do we think recycled plastic is the better bet?
I see four reasons.
- India already has a recycling habit. The kabadiwala who buys old newspaper and milk packets from your home is part of a collection chain that keeps plastic moving back to recyclers. Compostable plastic has no such chain in most cities.
- Recycled plastic replaces virgin plastic. Every kilo of recycled granule used is a kilo of new polymer that did not need to be made from oil.
- It does not contaminate the recycling stream. A compostable bag mixed into normal plastic waste can spoil a batch of recycled material, because the two do not melt and behave the same way.
- The law is pushing in this direction. The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on 31 March 2026, set minimum recycled content for brand owners. Flexible plastic packaging must carry 10% recycled plastic now, rising to 20% from 2027-28.
This is why we put our own effort into recycling, lighter film and paper, and not into "biodegradable" grades.
One more point from those 2026 rules is easy to miss. Recycled content inside imported plastic packaging does not count towards an importer's target. If you import packaging and assume its recycled content covers you, check again.
Where is recycled plastic the wrong choice?
I will be honest here, because recycled film is not perfect.
- It is usually grey, black or tinted, because mixed waste does not give a clear colour. If you need a crystal-clear display pack, recycled film will disappoint you.
- It can show small specks or gels. For a liner or a courier bag that is fine. For a premium retail pack, it may not be.
- Its strength is less consistent than virgin film, so a recycled bag is often made a little thicker to do the same job.
- Food contact needs separate approval. Do not use recycled film for direct food contact unless the material is certified for it.
There is also a rule of the trade worth knowing. Recycled plastic from factory scrap is cleaner and more consistent than recycled plastic from household waste, because it was never dirty. My advice is simple. When you buy recycled film, ask which one it is.
What does JPPL make?
We make recycled plastic liners. The share of recycled material in a liner varies a lot across the market, so ask any supplier, us included, to write two things on the quote. What share of the film is recycled, and whether it comes from factory scrap or post-consumer waste.
For jobs where plastic is not needed at all, we would rather you use paper. Our kraft paper bubble wrap and honeycomb paper do the cushioning job for most light and medium items.
For film, browse our plastic films, or write to us if you need recycled liners in a custom size. Tell us what goes inside, and we will tell you honestly whether recycled film will hold it.
