Context

• Global climate discourse has increasingly recognised waste at the centre of climate action.
• This was clearly reflected at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where waste reduction and circularity were highlighted as key strategies for emissions mitigation, inclusive growth, and public health improvement.
• Initiatives such as the No Organic Waste programme and renewed emphasis on circularity reinforced the idea that waste management is integral to climate solutions.
• For India, with its rapidly expanding urban landscape, this approach is particularly relevant.

Urbanisation and the Escalating Waste Crisis

• Urban growth in India is inevitable, but its quality is a matter of choice.
• Cities increasingly face a stark divide between clean, liveable environments and polluted, waste-choked urban spaces.
• Many Indian cities fail to meet global standards for environmental health, with air and waste pollution becoming persistent concerns.
• Despite regulatory action and judicial intervention, improvements have been limited, intensifying public dissatisfaction.
• The projected scale of waste generation is alarming. By 2030, Indian cities are expected to generate 165 million tonnes of waste annually, rising to 436 million tonnes by 2050 as the urban population approaches 814 million.
• These trends threaten public health, economic productivity, and climate stability. Achieving garbage-free cities by 2026 is therefore an existential necessity for Indian cities, not a cosmetic aspiration.

Circular Economy as a Strategic Solution

• The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission in eliminating open defecation demonstrated India’s capacity for large-scale behavioural and infrastructural change.
• Under SBM Urban 2.0, about 1,100 cities have been declared free of dumpsites, marking progress but also highlighting the distance yet to be covered.
• Sustainable, garbage-free urban environments are possible only when all cities adopt the circular economy model, which treats waste as a resource.
• Circularity replaces the linear take-make-dispose approach with one that prioritises waste reduction and resource recovery.
• This aligns with India’s climate commitments and the principles of Mission LiFE, which emphasise responsible consumption.
• Circularity thus becomes both an environmental strategy and an economic opportunity.

Managing Organic, Plastic, and Construction Waste

• India has a structural advantage in that over half of its municipal waste is organic.
• This can be effectively managed through composting and bio-methanation, including compressed biogas plants that generate green fuel and electricity.
• Such solutions directly reduce emissions while creating energy value.
• Dry waste, however, presents greater complexity. Plastics pose serious threats to ecosystems and human health and remain difficult to manage.
• Effective recycling depends on efficient segregation at source, supported by material recovery facilities that must expand alongside growing waste volumes.
• Refuse-derived fuel for industries like cement shows promise, but entrepreneurship and market linkages remain underdeveloped.
• Construction and demolition waste, estimated at 12 million tonnes annually, significantly degrades urban environments.
• Illegal dumping along roadsides and open spaces is widespread.
• While much of this waste can be recycled into cost-effective construction materials, inadequate segregation and insufficient recycling capacity limit outcomes. Stronger enforcement of existing and upcoming regulations is essential.

Wastewater, Governance, and Systemic Barriers

• Circularity also extends to wastewater and faecal sludge management. With freshwater availability increasingly constrained, recycling and reuse for agriculture, horticulture, and industrial purposes are critical.
• Urban programmes have recognised this link, but effective implementation depends on proactive state-level action.
• Multiple systemic barriers hinder progress. Waste segregation, collection logistics, processing efficiency, and market viability for recycled products remain inconsistent.
• Extended Producer Responsibility does not yet cover all waste streams, while construction waste tracking and accountability are weak.
• Municipalities also face financial constraints, underscoring the need for better coordination, monitoring, and incentive mechanisms.

The Role of Citizens and Markets

• Circularity cannot succeed without citizen participation. Yet in a rapidly consumerist society, reducing and reusing materials is increasingly challenging.
• Constant product innovation and lifestyle changes weaken reuse practices.
• In this context, recycling as practical pillar of circularity is the most achievable near-term strategy, supported by technology, private enterprise, and coherent policy frameworks.
• Collaborative initiatives such as the Cities Coalition for Circularity reflect growing recognition of the need for shared knowledge and regional cooperation to scale solutions effectively.

Conclusion

• India’s urban waste challenge lies at the intersection of climate action, public health, and economic development.
• Circularity offers a viable pathway to transform cities from centres of waste accumulation into systems of resource efficiency.
• While challenges remain significant, coordinated governance, technological innovation, market development, and informed citizen engagement can drive this transition.
• In doing so, circularity can become a cornerstone of India’s sustainable urban future.