Mumbai, Aug 4 (IANS): Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is doubling its PET recycling capacity by setting up a recycled polyester staple fibre (PSF) manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh.

The move is part of the RIL's commitment to lead the industry on circular economy, enhance its sustainability quotient, and bolster the entire polyester and polymer value chain, said a company statement.

As a part of this endeavour, Srichakra Ecotex India Pvt Ltd will build and operate, exclusively for RIL, the new recycled PSF Recron GreenGold and PET flakes wash-line in Andhra Pradesh.

RIL's initiative to more than double its recycling capacity to 5 billion post-consumer PET bottles will ensure India maintains over 90 per cent recycling rate. RIL is focusing on sustaining India's post-consumer PET recycling rate which is currently the highest in the world.

The company said that RIL will empower entrepreneurs to divert post-consumer used packaging from landfills, setup recycling facilities and create wealth from waste throughout the country.

RIL is driving various initiatives such as 'Fashion for Earth' in partnership with the Lakme Fashion Week and the United Nations in India, Hub Excellence Programme and Circular Design Challenge to inculcate circularity and sustainability concepts in polymer, textile and fashion industries.

RIL's COO, Petrochemicals Business, Vipul Shah, said: "The expansion of PET Recycling capacity is part of Mr Mukesh Ambani's vision to transform our legacy business into sustainable, circular and net zero carbon materials business and support the entrepreneurs to take risk throughout the value chain. RIL is committed to development of entire value chain and it shares expertise and technical know-how with the entrepreneurs to produce top quality products at lowest possible costs. RIL has underwritten the entire production from Srichakra's facility to provide support for development of the business."

Srichakra Ecotex Pvt Ltd Director Srinivas Mikkilineni said: "The agreement with RIL provides an excellent opportunity for Srichakra to expand its footprint into the recycled polyester staple fibre market. The alliance will propel Srichakra's commitment to reduce plastic pollution and facilitate both organisations to advance the circular economy for plastic waste in India. RIL's industry expertise, technical knowledge, and business assurances will allow Srichakra to research, innovate and develop high-quality and sustainable products for RIL's GreenGold portfolio."

RIL currently recycles PET bottles at its Barabanki, Hoshiarpur and Nagothane plants. The post-consumer PET bottles are used as a raw material for manufacturing re-cycled polyester fibre. The fibres manufactured through this process are branded as Recron GreenGold and RIL through its Hub Excellence Partners (HEP) (selected downstream mills) manufactures R | Elan GreenGold fabrics, one of the greenest fabrics in the world.

At present, RIL converts more than 2 billion post-consumer PET bottles into fibre annually. With addition of Srichakra capacity, RIL will be instrumental in converting about 5 billion used PET bottles into value-added fibres.