Gas cutting workers busy in dismantling ships at Shri Ram Group plot at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

India’s recycling ecosystem is undergoing significant transformation, driven by regulatory reforms, circular economy initiatives and rising demand for secondary raw materials, industry officials and experts said at a recycling show in Mumbai. 

They said while the growth of the recycled plastics market is supported by growing demand from the packaging and automotive sectors, improved waste collection and technology adoption, metal scrap, e-waste and battery recycling sector is evolving towards more organised and technology-driven operations. 

EPR mandates, recycled-content targets and growing demand for critical minerals is accelerating investments in advanced processing and material recovery, they added. 

“The next phase of India’s recycling growth will be shaped by quality, traceability and technology, rather than volumes alone,” R.V. Sridhar, Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Company, & former CEO, JSPL & AMNS downstream business said while speaking while speaking at Plastics Recycling Show India (PRS India) 2026 and Bharat Recycling Show (BRS) 2026 organised in Mumbai by Media Fusion & Crain Communications. 

He said India must learn from China and Australia how to extract minerals from unused and discarded ores. 

“There is plenty of unused iron ore in the country, these can not be used. But the Chinese have shown that they are usable. They had managed to extract titanium, iridium and iron from waste iron ore. The Australians have done even better. We must learn from them,” he stated. 

He said “e-waste offers significant potential, but improving collection remains critical. The biggest technological opportunity lies in sensor-based sorting using XRF, LIBS and machine vision, which can improve feedstock quality and enable higher-value material recovery.”

Ultimately, the industry needs to recognise that ‘quality is bought at the yard, not in the refinery’ better sorting, stronger traceability and economically viable processing will be key to scaling India’s circular economy, he emphasised. 

Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director ,Communications & ESG, Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd the company had been focusing on sustainability. 

“Today, 100% of Colgate toothpaste tubes manufactured in India are recyclable, marking an important step towards greater circularity,” she said.

“Beyond packaging, we have worked with 158 villages over the last three years, collecting more than 90,000 kg of dry waste and channelising it into recycling and reuse streams, while working with children to promote waste segregation and drive behavioural change,” she pointed out. 

“With around 60% of our electricity currently sourced from renewables and a goal of reaching 100% by 2030, we are focused on advancing circularity across our operations, communities and value chain,” she added. 

“For us, regulatory compliance is merely the baseline. As a market leader, we have a responsibility to ensure that what we put in consumers’ hands is not only the right product, but also the right packaging. True leadership means innovating with intent. Our 2030 SMILE Sustainability Strategy closely aligns with the nation’s environmental priorities,” she said. 

Prabodha Acharya, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Group, said “We are pursuing multiple pathways to reduce our environmental footprint, including converting steel slag into cement, reducing the need for clinker and creating value from waste.”

“In steel, we have already reduced emissions intensity by 30% and are targeting a 42% reduction by 2030, with an ambition to achieve net neutrality by 2050,” he said. 

“Today, around two-third of JSW Energy’s portfolio is renewable, reflecting our broader commitment to accelerating India’s transition towards a low-carbon and circular economy,” he added. 

Kiarah Ahuja, General Manager & Head – Business Development, Banyan Nation, said, “ India’s 60% Category I mandate creates demand for well over two million tonnes of FMCG-grade rigid Post Consumer Recycled (PCR), yet certified capacity today remains a small fraction of that requirement.”

As the market scales, the focus now needs to shift towards building reliable, certified recycling capacity and strengthening the supply chain that can consistently deliver high-quality FMCG grade PCR at scale, she said.

“Ultimately, [Extended Producer Responsibility] EPR can do for recycled plastic what renewable purchase obligations did for solar by creating the demand visibility needed to make collection infrastructure and recycling capacity commercially viable,” she emphasised. 

Taher Patrawala, Managing Director, Media Fusion, said “As regulatory frameworks evolve and industries face increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, our objective is to catalyse India’s transition from a linear waste management model to a high-value, technology-driven circular economy.”

Published – September 02, 2026 11:42 am IST

Carpooling at Cognizant in Siruseri, Chennai on August 29, 2018. IT majors lead the way in carpooling. sRide and Quick Ride among several carpooling apps cater to the corporate sector in India.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Economic Survey 2024-2025 tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday (January 31, 2025), stated that carpooling could reduce 380 million litres of fuel in India. Listing several lifestyle changes like — carpooling, recycling newspaper, finishing food on one’s plate, the Survey extolled the ‘power of collective action’ which could contribute to climate change mitigation. 

Under the chapter titled ‘Climate and Environment’, the Survey extolled India’s Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) Mission which led a ‘widespread public movement to encourage low-carbon lifestyles and energy conservation behaviours’. Based on the NITI Aayog report on the LiFE mission, the Survey estimated that lifestyle change by 13% of global population can reduce carbon emission by 20%. 

“Encouraging citizen participation in sustainability decision-making at local and national levels is crucial for effective policymaking. Challenging existing habits and creating new norms around sustainability — such as promoting cycling or local food initiatives — can drive significant behavioural change over time,” stated the Survey.

Suggested collective actions

Small changes to public actions such as finishing food on plate, carpooling, recycling newspaper, composting waste food at home, using a cloth bag instead of a plastic bag, recycling non-functioning gadgets, switching off vehicle engines at traffic stops and turning off running taps are analysed in the Survey. Savings in fuel, wastes, water and food found by the Survey are substantial as shown in the tables below. 

Talking about the Centre’s LiFE mission, the Survey stated, “The goal is for at least 80 per cent of all villages and urban local bodies to become environmentally friendly by 2028”. It added that apart from environmental benefits, these public measures would reduce inequalities in energy consumption, save costs, enhance overall well-being and health. “By 2030, it is estimated that these measures could save consumers around $440 billion globally through reduced consumption and lower prices,” stated the Survey.

The NITI Aayog report, on which the Survey bases its estimations, has several other collective actions listed to conserve energy such as using – public transport, biogas for cooking, energy-saving mode on electronic devices, smart switches, driving in the correct gear in cars and running outdoors instead of a treadmill. These measures fall under the LiFE Mission 2022-23, which aims in nudging individuals, communities and institutions to practice simple environment-friendly actions in daily lives. 

Under the seven categories mentioned in the LiFE Mission, actions are suggested to save water, achieve sustainable food system, reduce waste, reduce single-use plastic, reduce e-waste and adopt a healthy lifestyle. By 2028, the Mission plans to make one billion people ‘pro-planet’ by adopting the above-mentioned measures.

Policy changes to tackle climate change

On a macro-level, the Centre has introduced various measures to promote environmental sustainability such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM) and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana which promote solar power adoption, states the Survey. It also talks about how certification of s eco-friendly household products and the star-labelling scheme helped raise awareness on energy efficiency and electromobility. 

India’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and to become a developed nation by 2047 is on the Centre’s priority while tackling mitigation of climate change. “Given the backdrop of decreasing global financial commitments to support climate action in developing countries, India must increasingly prioritise building resilience to safeguard the benefits of its rapid economic growth against climate-induced setbacks,” concludes the Survey. 

The Union Budget will be presented on February 1, 2025, by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a joint session of Parliament. She is slated to deliver the Budget speech for the eighth consecutive time.