Rules 8 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 8 puts basic duties on every generator of plastic waste, from households to institutions and organisers of open-space events. Rule 9 is the extended producer responsibility rule: producers, importers and brand owners who introduce plastic packaging in the market are responsible for its collection and must fulfil EPR as laid down in Schedule II.
These Rules are current as amended up to the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 237(E), 31 March 2026). Later amendments, CPCB guidelines and notifications should be checked. If you are a brand owner, importer or packaging producer and need to see how rule 9 and Schedule II apply to your products, our compliance documentation team can help you assemble the records.
Producers, importers and brand owners who introduce plastic packaging in the market are responsible for its collection (rule 9(1)), are deemed to have complied if they fulfil EPR (rule 9(2)), and must fulfil EPR as per Schedule II (rule 9(2A)). Waste generators must minimise plastic waste, segregate it at source, not litter, hand it to the right agencies and pay the user fee fixed in local body bye-laws (rule 8).
Rule 8: waste generators
Every waste generator (8(1))
A "waste generator" is every person, group, institution, residential or commercial establishment, including Railways, airports, ports and defence establishments, that generates plastic waste (rule 3(y)). Under rule 8(1) the waste generator shall:
- (a) take steps to minimise generation of plastic waste and segregate it at source;
- (b) not litter the plastic waste, ensure segregated storage at source, and hand over the segregated waste to the urban local body or Gram Panchayat or agencies appointed by them, or registered waste pickers, registered recyclers or waste collection agencies.
Institutional generators (8(2))
All institutional generators of plastic waste shall segregate and store the waste they generate and hand over segregated waste to authorised waste processing or disposal facilities or deposition centres, on their own or through an authorised waste collection agency. "Institutional waste generator" covers occupiers of buildings such as government departments, public or private sector companies, hospitals, schools, colleges, universities, hotels, restaurants, malls and shopping complexes (rule 3(l)).
User fee (8(3))
All waste generators shall pay the user fee or charge specified in the bye-laws of the local bodies for plastic waste management, such as waste collection or operation of the facility. The Rules fix no amount; the local body's bye-laws do.
Events (8(4))
Every person responsible for organising an event in open space that involves service of food stuff in plastic or multilayered packaging shall segregate and manage the waste generated during such events.
Rule 8 refers to the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 for the method of segregation, "or amendment from time to time" as printed. For solid waste generally, the current rules are the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, explained in our SWM series.
Rule 9: producers, importers and brand owners
The collection responsibility (9(1) and 9(2))
Rule 9(1) says the producers, importers and brand owners who introduce any plastic packaging in the market shall be responsible for collection of such plastic packaging. Rule 9(2) says that where a producer, importer or brand owner fulfils its extended producer responsibility, it is deemed to have complied with sub-rule (1). These two sub-rules, with sub-rule (2A), were put in their present form by the 2024 amendment (G.S.R. 201(E)). Before that, rule 9(1) had been amended in 2022 to point to the guidelines in Schedule II (G.S.R. 133(E)), which is why the Schedule is now the working document for EPR.
EPR as per Schedule II (9(2A))
The producers, importers, brand owners, manufacturers and manufacturers of commodities made from compostable plastics or biodegradable plastics shall fulfil extended producer responsibility as per the guidelines specified in Schedule II. The Schedule covers obligated entities, categories of plastic packaging, registration, targets, certificates and environmental compensation, and is explained in our Schedule II articles and the article on targets and recycled content.
Registration of producers
Rule 9 also ties a producer's right to manufacture or use plastic or multilayered packaging for packaging of commodities to registration. No producer may do so without registration from the Central Pollution Control Board, where it operates in more than two States or Union territories, or from the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned, as per rule 13(2). The application route and the forms are in rules 12 to 14.
Records of raw material suppliers (9(6))
Every producer shall maintain a record of details of the person engaged in supply of plastic used as raw material to manufacture carry bags, plastic sheet or like, cover made of plastic sheet or plastic packaging. The words "plastic packaging" were substituted for "multilayered packaging" in 2023. A producer that buys resin from an unregistered seller risks breaching rule 4(1)(e) as well, because a manufacturer of raw material may sell only to a registered producer or seller; see rule 4.
Exemption for export units
Rule 2(3) says rule 9(1) does not apply to export-oriented units, notified SEZ units and other units making plastic packaging for products exported against an order for export, except as to pre-consumer plastic packaging waste. See rules 1 to 3.
Who has to do what
| Person | Rule | Core duty |
|---|---|---|
| Household or business generating plastic waste | 8(1) | Minimise, segregate at source, do not litter, hand over to authorised channels |
| Institutional generator | 8(2) | Segregate, store and hand over to authorised facilities |
| All generators | 8(3) | Pay the user fee in the local body's bye-laws |
| Event organiser | 8(4) | Segregate and manage waste from events serving food in plastic or multilayered packaging |
| Producer, importer, brand owner | 9(1), (2), (2A) | Collect, fulfil EPR under Schedule II |
| Producer | 9(6) | Keep a record of raw material suppliers |
Consequences
Rule 19 provides that contravention of the Rules makes a person liable to a penalty under section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and rule 18 provides for environmental compensation under CPCB guidelines. Both are explained in rules 16 to 19. No figure is restated here.
Example
Greenleaf Beverages Private Limited sells bottled juice under its own brand, packed in bottles and shrink sleeves by a contract packer, and also imports a premium range packed overseas. Under rule 3 the company is a brand owner and an importer. It must fulfil EPR under rule 9(2A) and Schedule II for the packaging it introduces, whoever makes it. It keeps its EPR records and the contract packer's producer registration details, and for its canteen and a trade fair stall it also meets the generator duties in rule 8: segregation, no littering, and handing waste to registered channels.
Need help with EPR for plastic packaging?
Rule 9 is short, but the obligations it brings in through Schedule II are detailed and recur every year. Our compliance documentation team can help you organise registrations, supplier records and return data so that the position is ready when a notice or audit arrives.
Key takeaways
- Producers, importers and brand owners that introduce plastic packaging in the market are responsible for its collection (rule 9(1)).
- Fulfilling EPR is deemed compliance with the collection responsibility (rule 9(2)); EPR follows Schedule II (rule 9(2A)).
- A producer must keep a record of its raw material suppliers (rule 9(6)).
- Waste generators must segregate at source, not litter, and pay the local body's user fee (rule 8).
- Organisers of open-space events serving food in plastic or multilayered packaging must segregate and manage the waste (rule 8(4)).
Read next
- Schedule I and Schedule II paragraphs 1 to 6: EPR coverage and registration
- Schedule II paragraphs 7 and 8: targets, recycled content and certificates
- Rules 10 and 11: compostable plastics and marking
- Section 6 of the EP Act: rules to regulate environmental pollution
Disclaimer: Based on the environment rules, guidelines and notifications named above as published in the Gazette of India, read with every amendment notified up to 3 October 2026 that the article names (consolidated reading texts from the CPCB 2021 compilation and the Goa State Pollution Control Board 2025 compilation were checked against the amending notifications), as consulted on 3 October 2026. Later amendments, CPCB guidelines, State Board orders and fees should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.