Chloe Zhang
India's relationship with plastic is a complicated one. On the one hand, the country's pro-growth policies have led to an increased use of plastics, with an estimated annual consumption of 16.5 million tonnes. This has resulted in a significant amount of plastic waste, with 80% of plastic ending up in landfills and water bodies, causing environmental and aquatic biodiversity damage. However, India is also home to a booming plastics recycling industry, with innovative startups and a dedicated workforce tackling the issue of plastic pollution. The process of plastic recycling in India involves waste collection, sorting, cleaning, shredding, melting, and finally, the creation of new products. Despite these efforts, India's plastic recycling rate stood at only 8% in 2019, with challenges such as limited segregation, lack of formal waste collection, and multi-layer packaging hindering progress. To address these issues, a consortium of Indian and Australian research organizations has developed a roadmap to increase the recycling rate to 67% by 2035, emphasizing the need for supportive infrastructure, effective recycling, and sustainable consumption practices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic consumption | 16.5 million tonnes annually as of 2018 |
| Plastic consumption projection for 2020 | 20 million tonnes |
| Plastic consumption projection for 2035 | 70.5 million tonnes |
| Plastic waste generated daily | 26,000 tonnes |
| Plastic waste generated annually | 3.46-4 million tonnes |
| Percentage of plastic waste that goes uncollected | 40% |
| Plastic waste recycling rate | 8% |
| Plastic waste recycling rate projection for 2035 | 11% |
| Plastic waste recycling rate projection by consortium of Indian and Australian research organisations | 67% |
| Number of people employed in the informal recycling sector | 1.5-4 million |
| Percentage of plastic waste that ends up in landfills or water bodies | 80% |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic waste collection and segregation
India consumes an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 80% of this plastic being discarded. About 43% of this consumption is plastic manufactured for single-use packaging material, which mostly ends up in landfills, drains, and rivers, eventually flowing into the sea. A 2015 study by the CPCB for the year 2011-12 revealed that at least 40% of the plastic waste generated daily, amounting to 25,940 tonnes, goes uncollected. This uncollected waste contributes to environmental pollution, as thin plastic bags and films have low value in the recycling market.
The collection of plastic waste in India is a collaborative effort involving multiple sectors. The informal recycling sector, including street pickers, small start-ups, and non-governmental entities, plays a significant role in waste collection. The Indian government's pro-growth policy encourages the use of plastics as a proxy for economic growth, leading to a love-hate relationship with plastics in the country. While the government promotes plastic use, it also recognizes the importance of recycling and has implemented various bans on single-use plastic bags and ultra-thin polyethylene bags in some cities and regions.
The segregation of plastic waste is crucial for effective recycling. In India, the sorting process often occurs manually by waste pickers or workers at recycling centres. Different types of plastics need to be separated, and in advanced facilities, optical sensors and air jets automate this process. However, limited segregation at the source remains a challenge, as mentioned in a study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
The recycling industry in India focuses on more lucrative items like water and shampoo bottles, which are easier to gather and process than lightweight bags. This focus on specific plastic items is a strategic approach to ensure the economic viability of the recycling process.
To address the challenges in plastic waste collection and segregation, India has implemented rules like Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPRs) framed in 2016, which require producers to ensure that the waste generated by their products returns to them. Additionally, innovations in recycling technology and the emergence of circular economy initiatives offer promising solutions.
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Manual sorting and cleaning of plastic waste
India's plastic waste problem is significant, with the country generating an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, of which 80% ends up in landfills and water bodies. The country's plastic recycling industry is booming, with a unique, informal economy based on street pickers, small startups, and non-governmental entities. However, the plastic recycling rate in India is low, estimated at only 8% in 2019.
The sorting process involves separating plastic waste into different categories based on the type of plastic resin or polymer. Common types of plastic include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and other mixed or unidentified plastics. Manual sorting ensures that different types of plastics are not mixed during the recycling process, as this can affect the quality and properties of the recycled material.
After sorting, the plastics are cleaned to remove labels, adhesives, and any remaining content. This cleaning process is also done manually and helps prepare the plastic for the next steps in the recycling process. It ensures that the recycled plastic is free from contaminants that may affect its quality or suitability for specific applications.
The cleaned and sorted plastic is then shredded into small flakes, increasing the surface area for more efficient processing. These flakes are then melted down and extruded into small pellets called nurdles, which serve as the raw material for new plastic products. The pellets undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet quality standards for strength, purity, and consistency, as outlined by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
While manual sorting and cleaning of plastic waste is a labour-intensive process, it plays a vital role in India's plastic recycling industry. It provides employment opportunities for a significant number of people, particularly in the informal sector. However, it also highlights the need for improved waste management infrastructure and policies to support more effective and efficient recycling practices in the country.
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Recycling plastic waste into pellets
India's relationship with plastic is a complicated one. On the one hand, the country consumes an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 80% of this ending up in landfills, drains, and rivers, causing severe environmental damage. On the other hand, India has a booming recycling industry, with various bans in place to combat plastic pollution and innovative thinking about plastic recycling.
One such innovation is the process of recycling plastic waste into pellets. This approach plays a pivotal role in closed-loop recycling, transforming discarded plastic into reusable pellets, thus minimizing the environmental impact of plastic production and disposal.
The process of recycling plastic waste into pellets involves several steps:
- Collection: Plastic waste is collected by street pickers, small start-ups, and non-governmental entities.
- Cleaning: The plastic waste is cleaned to remove any residual pollutants, dirt, and grease.
- Shredding: The clean plastic is then shredded or crushed into small pieces, typically 2-3mm in size, to meet the processing requirements of the pellet-making machine.
- Feeding: The shredded plastic is fed into a feeder, which then sends the material into the plastic pellet-making machine.
- Mixing and Re-plasticizing: Inside the pellet-making machine, the shredded plastic is mixed and re-plasticized under heat and pressure, creating a viscous flow.
- Extrusion: The molten plastic is then pushed through an extruder using centrifugal force to form long strands.
- Cutting: The extruded strands are then cut into small granules or pellets by a cutter.
- Cooling: As the freshly cut pellets are still very hot, they are cooled using a cooling system.
These recycled plastic pellets have a wide range of applications across various industries, including packaging, construction, automotive, textiles, electronics, agriculture, and medicine. They can be used to create sustainable and innovative products, such as packaging materials, pipes, panels, vehicle components, synthetic fibres, electronic casings, irrigation pipes, and medical devices.
The recycling of plastic waste into pellets offers multiple benefits, including energy efficiency, waste reduction, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. It helps reduce the amount of plastic ending up in landfills and oceans, creates a circular economy, and promotes the development of eco-friendly products.
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Quality standards for recycled plastic
India's relationship with plastic is a complicated one. On the one hand, the country consumes an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 80% of this plastic being discarded. On the other hand, India's recycling industry is booming, driven by street pickers, small startups, and non-governmental entities focused on the secondary use of plastic.
Despite these efforts, India's plastic waste management infrastructure is struggling to keep up, especially in rural areas. A study revealed that India recycles only 8% of its plastic waste, with the rest ending up in landfills, drains, rivers, and the sea, causing environmental and aquatic biodiversity damage.
To address this challenge, the Indian government has implemented various rules and regulations, including the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which aim to protect public health and the environment. These rules outline the responsibilities of waste generators, recyclers, manufacturers, importers, distributors, sellers, and users of plastic products.
When it comes to quality standards for recycled plastic in India, the following regulations are in place:
- The Bureau of Indian Standards has issued guidelines on how to recover and recycle plastic waste and the types of products that can be made from it. The IS 14534: 1998 standard provides guidelines for the selection, segregation, and processing of plastic waste. It also helps identify the basic raw material used in a product, whether it is virgin, recyclate, or a blend.
- Carry bags and plastic packaging must conform to the Indian Standard IS 9833:1981 regarding the use of pigments and colourants. They should be either in a natural shade without added pigments or made with approved pigments and colourants.
- Carry bags made of recycled plastic must bear a label or mark indicating that they are recycled, complying with the Indian Standard IS 14534:1998.
- The minimum thickness of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic has been increased to fifty microns to reduce the use of thin plastic bags that have low value in the recycling market.
- The IS 14535: 1998 standard provides guidelines for the identification and classification of recycled plastic materials that are ready for normal use without further modifications, based on their basic properties and applications.
- Producers, importers, and brand owners are primarily responsible for collecting and recycling multi-layered plastic packaging generated from their products. They must establish a collection system and submit a plan to the State Pollution Control Boards.
- The manufacture and use of non-recyclable multilayered plastic must be phased out within two years, and existing producers must apply for registration with the Pollution Control Board within three months.
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Government initiatives for a circular economy
India faces a significant challenge in managing plastic waste due to its large population and growing economy. With a population of 1.4 billion people, India generates an estimated 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste per day, of which only 8% is recycled. To promote a circular plastics economy, systemic change is required from the product design stage, as well as a shift from single-use to reusable products.
The Indian government has implemented several initiatives to address this issue. In 2014, the government launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Mission), which aims to make India cleaner and free from litter. This mission includes provisions for plastic waste management, such as promoting waste segregation at the source and setting up plastic waste management systems. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, were also introduced to ensure on-site plastic waste segregation and reduce recyclable waste. The minimum allowed thickness of plastic carry bags was increased from 40 microns to 50 microns.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) have played a crucial role in policy initiatives. The MoEFCC notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018, which phased out multilayered plastic (MLP) and prohibited its manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use from July 1, 2022.
To further promote a circular economy, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has implemented the Plastic Waste Management Programme in India. This initiative contributes to the Swachh Bharat Mission and aims to efficiently manage plastic waste from collection to segregation and recycling. As of June 2021, the programme has helped process 83,900 metric tonnes of plastic waste.
Additionally, Huhtamaki, a company working in India, launched the Think Circle initiative in January 2025. This initiative brought together industry leaders, government bodies, academics, NGOs, and think tanks to collaborate on redefining the circularity of flexible packaging and finding practical solutions for improving recycling in India.
While these initiatives are a step in the right direction, India continues to face challenges in plastic waste management due to a lack of infrastructure, low waste collection rates, inadequate funding, and a lack of recognition for the informal sector, which plays a significant role in plastic waste management.
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Frequently asked questions
India generates an estimated 16.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 80% of it ending up in landfills or water bodies. A 2024 study revealed that India recycles only 8% of its plastic waste.
In India, plastic waste is collected by street pickers or waste workers, who then sort the plastics into different types. The sorted plastics are cleaned, shredded into small flakes, melted down, and turned into small pellets called nurdles. These pellets are then used as raw materials for new plastic products.
India faces several challenges in plastic recycling, including limited waste segregation, lack of formal waste collection in some areas, and the prevalence of multi-layer packaging that is difficult to recycle. Additionally, there are gaps between policy intent and design, technological limitations, inadequate infrastructure, and market barriers for secondary plastic-based products.
