India generates around 3.4 million tonnes (MT) of plastic waste every year but only 30% of it is recycled. The rest end up in landfills or the aquatic environment causing threat to animals and humans. Despite this, India’s recycling rate of 13% surpasses the global average of 9%, underscoring the progress it has made. The country has made significant headway in terms of regulations - Be it the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the ban on single use plastic, the EPR scheme or the mandate to use recycled content in new products.  But what’s the ground reality? 

To delve deeper into the subject and promote collaborative efforts and collective action, Waste & Recycling magazine and Plastic Recycling Show India brought the industry experts together for a round table discussion on Plastic Waste Management in India: Current Landscape and Future Prospects, in Mumbai in February. The discussion touched upon key topics such as governance structures, infrastructure developments, recycling environment, behavioural change, technological innovations, and the role of businesses and policymakers in driving sustainable practices.

Representatives from recycling companies, government agencies, technology providers, and industry associations took part and identified challenges, brainstormed solutions, and shared their knowledge, experiences, and successful initiatives in managing plastic waste.

The participants included: Meenal Passi, Senior Director, Bureau of Indian Standards; Shivam Dwivedi, Assistant Director, Bureau of Indian Standards; Spokespersons from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation; S.K. Ray, Honorary Secretary, India Centre for Plastics in the Environment; Garima Mishra, Chief Advisor - South Asia, Alliance to End Plastic Waste; Pratibha Dewett, Chief Sustainability Officer, Lucro Plastecycle Private Limited; Sameer Joshi, Vice Chairman - Governing Council, Indian Plastics Institute, Rishi Aggarwal, Founder and Director, Mumbai Sustainability Centre; Deepak V. Mehta, Founder and Managing Partner, Leevams Incorporated; Murtaza Sadriwala, Trustee, Burhani Foundation; Rashi Agrawal, Director of Business Development - Sales, Banyan Nation; Gurashish Singh Sahni, Co-Founder and COO, ReCircle; Bhavin Bavishi , Project Manager, The Shakti Plastic Industries; and spokespersons from KBM Extrusions. 

Here are some highlights from the discussion: 

Disposal routes 

Waste management in India is a multifaceted issue, influenced by diverse regional dynamics and infrastructural capacities and the disposal route varies significantly from region to region - urban to rural. The recycling rates vary, presenting a challenge in quantifying the extent of recycling across different regions, say experts. Despite these challenges, there's a growing interest in recycling initiatives. While cement industries and waste-to-energy plants are significant disposal avenues, challenges persist, particularly in collection and sorting infrastructure. The volume of waste varies depending on the size and urban-rural divide of cities. 

Speaking about the challenges within Maharashtra, specifically Mumbai, the experts pointed out that a significant portion of end-of-life plastic materials end up in dumping grounds, despite awareness efforts and initiatives like beach cleanups. Behavioural change remains a critical aspect of addressing plastic waste challenges, they noted. 

Recycling infrastructure

A key challenge highlighted by several speakers was the lack of adequate infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to support comprehensive plastic waste management. They batted for decentralisation as a promising solution for addressing infrastructural requirements. They highlighted the challenges in accessing quality feedstock and integrating informal recycling sectors into formal supply chains. The need for greater emphasis on incentivising waste collection was stressed. They suggested that current policies focus too heavily on rewarding recycling activities. 

Effectiveness of EPR implementation

Despite the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and stringent waste management rules, the experts remarked that there remain gaps in implementation and enforcement at the ground level. They argued that without sufficient collection of plastic waste, there would be limited feedstock for recycling operations, undermining the overall effectiveness of waste management efforts. Others echoed this sentiment, recommending the creation of a conducive environment for waste collection at the grassroots level. By engaging with local municipalities and communities, companies can establish robust collection networks that ensure a steady supply of plastic waste for recycling, they said. 

The need for transparency and accountability in carrying out EPR obligations was highlighted. Despite the challenges, there was optimism regarding the potential of innovative approaches to transform plastic waste management in India. 

One speaker drew everyone’s attention to the negative externalities that “often get overlooked  in discussions on plastic waste management.” She said that the plastic industry has systematically ignored these externalities, which ultimately leads to environmental degradation without being factored into the cost of plastic products. “We need to urgently address this issue by implementing measures such as carbon taxes to properly reflect the true environmental cost of plastic. Without addressing these structural defects, all other efforts to tackle plastic pollution will fall short. A robust waste collection system and positive behavioral changes can mitigate external costs, but without clarity and acknowledgment of these issues, we will continue to exacerbate the problem manifold.”

Source segregation 

Speakers shared success stories of initiatives that have helped in encouraging source segregation and eventually waste collection and recycling, demonstrating the feasibility of scalable solutions. 

The discussion also touched upon community engagement, and the role of faith-based organisations in promoting sustainability and circular economy practices. Through awareness campaigns and action-oriented initiatives, communities are actively involved in waste management. 

One such example involved a partnership between a recycling company and local municipalities to incentivise individuals to segregate and collect plastic waste. Through community engagement and financial incentives, the initiative saw a significant increase in the volume of plastic waste collected and recycled, highlighting the importance of grassroots initiatives in driving change. 

Technology to the rescue 

From AI-powered sorting systems to blockchain-based traceability solutions, technology offers promising avenues for improving the effectiveness of plastic waste management efforts, they remarked. 

They also underscored the need for regulations that encourage responsible consumption and waste management practices. Concerns were raised about the challenges posed by regulations that impose inflexible quotas on businesses. They agreed that regulations should be balanced to encourage compliance while allowing for flexibility in meeting targets.

The participants acknowledged the evolution of recycling practices in India, noting that while recycling has been ongoing for many years, professional recycling that meets the quality standards required by brands and consumers is still developing. They expressed optimism about the future of recycling in India, particularly with the impending implementation of new regulations that will require brands to use a certain percentage of recycled material in their products.

Consumer demand for sustainable products 

Community engagement emerged as a crucial aspect of efforts to address plastic pollution. Speakers noted that consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of their plastic consumption and are demanding products that are environmentally friendly. This shift in consumer preferences is driving change in the industry, prompting brands to adopt more sustainable packaging solutions. By partnering with local businesses and incentivising residents to recycle, these programmes are not only helping to reduce plastic waste but also fostering a sense of environmental responsibility within communities.

Way forward 

• Collaboration among local players, government agencies, and businesses to create effective frameworks for waste management 
• Shared responsibility among all stakeholders and collective action 
• Understanding and utilising the alternatives to plastic appropriately 
• Creating awareness alone is not sufficient; rather, it is essential to educate individuals on adaptation and empower them to adopt sustainable practices
• Incentivising the collection of recyclable materials
• Tap into the potential of technological innovations, such as composting and biodegradable packaging 
• Successful community-based initiatives and empowerment activities should be replicated  to drive sustainable practices at the grassroots level
• Promote research and development in waste management technologies
• Businesses should drive demand for recycled materials and adopt sustainable practices throughout the supply chain

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The next round table discussion will be held in Ahmedabad in the third week of May. The Plastics Recycling Show India (PRSI) will take place at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai, India, on 4-6 December 2024.