Mexico Plastics Industry Prepares for Circular Economy Law

Mexico’s plastics industry is accelerating adoption of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) Mexico as companies prepare to comply with the country’s new General Circular Economy Law, which introduces stricter requirements for resource efficiency, traceability and extended producer responsibility. Coordinated by Asociación Nacional de Industrias del Plástico (ANIPAC), the program promotes operational controls to prevent plastic pellet loss across manufacturing, logistics and recycling processes, aligning environmental compliance with greater industrial efficiency.

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Mexico’s plastics industry is expanding the implementation of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) Mexico, a program designed to prevent the release of plastic pellets into the environment while improving operational controls across the value chain. The initiative is gaining relevance as companies prepare for the requirements introduced by Mexico’s new General Law on the Circular Economy, which promotes resource efficiency, traceability and greater responsibility throughout industrial supply chains.

The program, coordinated by the Asociación Nacional de Industrias del Plástico (ANIPAC), focuses on preventing pellet loss during manufacturing, handling, transportation and storage processes. Industry leaders say the approach aligns environmental objectives with operational efficiency and safety within production facilities.

“Preventing pellet loss not only contributes to environmental protection; it also drives operational efficiency, plant safety and the competitiveness of our companies,” said Benjamín del Arco, president, ANIPAC. “It is essentially part of modern and responsible industrial management.”

As of early 2025, 83 member companies had joined OCS Mexico. Since 2013, the program has organized 28 workshops that trained 547 employees from 161 companies involved in raw materials, plastic transformation, recycling and logistics. The initiative promotes preventive procedures and measurable operational controls to stop pellet loss at the source.

Industry participants say the program provides companies with data that can be used to improve efficiency and strengthen sustainability strategies. According to Raúl Mendoza Tapia, director general, ANIPAC, companies participating in the program collect operational metrics that support continuous improvement across environmental, social and economic performance indicators

“Companies now have basic data and metrics that become a source of information for continuous improvement, helping optimize business models under the three pillars of sustainability,” Mendoza Tapia said.

Several companies joined the program’s “Compromiso OCS México” initiative in 2026, including RAGUZ, Industrias Reunidas, DEPSA, Colgate-Palmolive, Bioelements and Enlaces Plásticos. Meanwhile, Suministros Industriales Potosinos renewed its Blue Distinction certification for an additional three years, and Ampacet obtained the certification for the first time.

Susana Hernández, technical director, ANIPAC, said the program — previously known as “Cero Pérdida de Pellets” — has facilitated the recovery of 510,468 tonnes of plastic pellets. However, the main objective is not simply to collect lost material but to prevent spills from occurring. “The intention is not to recover more pellets; the goal is to reduce the number of pellets that escape into the environment,” Hernández said.

Mexico currently has the largest number of participating companies in the OCS program across Latin America, with medium-sized companies representing the largest share of participants. Industry representatives say the program is becoming a practical tool for aligning operational processes with the country’s evolving regulatory framework. The recently approved circular economy legislation aims to promote more efficient resource use and stronger accountability across industrial supply chains.

For Alejandro Castellanos, president of ANIPAC’s Circular Economy Commission, initiatives such as OCS Mexico demonstrate how companies in the plastics sector are adapting to stricter sustainability expectations. “The program is a clear example of the good practices our sector is implementing for the benefit of the environment and society,” Castellanos said.

Mexico’s General Law on the Circular Economy

In December 2025, the Mexican congress approved the General Law on the Circular Economy, which established a nationwide legal framework that obligates producers, importers and public authorities to integrate circularity principles across product design, production, consumption and waste management. The law was published in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) on Jan. 19, 2026 and entered into force the following day.

A central pillar of the legislation is the creation of a circular management system linked to extended producer responsibility (EPR). Once the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) publishes a general implementation agreement for a specific product category or sector, all covered producers and importers must develop a Circular Management Plan and register it on a national digital platform within established deadlines. 

Each Circular Management Plan must be supported by a life-cycle assessment by product category or, where technically or economically unfeasible, by a simplified life-cycle study authorized under EPR agreements. Plans must also describe applicable direct or indirect circularity mechanisms, compliance targets, and any coordination agreements with authorities or third parties. Authorities may approve, condition, modify, or deny registration based on compliance with the law and related environmental regulations.

The law formally establishes both direct and indirect compliance pathways. Direct compliance applies when producers implement circularity mechanisms themselves, while indirect compliance allows the use of third parties through sustainable value-chain agreements or environmental compensation mechanisms. Sectoral coordinating entities may act on behalf of producers, although they share legal responsibility for compliance and reporting obligations.

To oversee implementation, the law creates the National Circular Economy System, chaired by SEMARNAT and comprising the ministries of Economy (SE), Finance (SHCP), Energy (SENER), Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT), and Education, as well as environmental authorities from each state. The system will operate through an intergovernmental coordination structure supported by a technical secretariat within the federal administration.