India's 750 Million Tonnes of Waste: An Unexplored Asset?
India’s industrial waste problem has finally found a solution. A new study has found that circularity can help India reuse up to 750 million tonnes (MT) of industrial waste. If the process begins as soon as possible, the target could be achieved by 2030. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, this would help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50-90 million tonnes (MT). Reusing 750 million tonnes of waste by 2030 could conserve over 450 million tonnes of natural resources.
The Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain, has said that circularity has emerged as a critical focus area globally and nationally, emphasizing the principle that waste is not merely waste but a valuable resource. The circular approach to industrial waste management can play a transformative role in resource conservation and carbon emission reduction. As per the Good Practices in Industrial Waste Circularity report, it estimates the potential for circularity in various industrial waste applications, including steel slag, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), fly ash, red mud, biomass, and hazardous waste.
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However, despite the efforts, India has a long way to go. According to the CSE report, India’s material industrial consumption is likely to double from seven billion tonnes in 2015 to 14.2 billion tonnes by 2030. In Europe, the recycling rate is as high as 70 percent, but India recycles only a mere 20 percent. Globally, there is a significant gap in overall circularity, with only 7.2 percent of the global economy being circular.
By 2030, around 35.3-41 MT of the projected 52.5 MT of steel slag could be used in cement production, the paper found. Similarly, 208-231 MT of fly ash from an expected 437 MT could be utilized in the cement industry. Using RDF in cement kilns and co-firing biomass in thermal power plants could contribute to CO2 emission reductions of 46.6 to 85.6 MT of CO2e by 2030.
Some Indian industries have already begun implementing circular practices, but these efforts need to expand. “Many industries are making progress, but we need to scale up these initiatives,” said Shobhit Srivastava, Industrial Pollution Programme Manager at CSE. Certain states, including Gujarat, Goa, and Karnataka, have launched initiatives to improve circularity. However, more states will need to adopt similar measures to ensure sustained industrial growth.
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The report calls for comprehensive mapping and inventory of industrial waste across the country. It also advocates for incentivization policies to encourage industries to adopt circularity.
