In a compelling vision for a sustainable industrial future, a recent analysis underscores the transformative power of the circular economy, projecting that by the close of the decade, the adoption of circular practices in managing industrial waste could unlock the reuse of a staggering 750 million tonnes of material. This paradigm shift extends beyond mere waste management, promising the conservation of over 450 million tonnes of precious natural resources and a significant reduction of 50 to 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually. The report, titled “Good Practices in Industrial Waste Circularity,” by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), meticulously evaluates the potential of integrating circularity across various industrial waste streams and their diverse applications by 2030, highlighting the substantial environmental and economic co-benefits.
The core principle of a circular economy, an economic system predicated on the continuous reuse and regeneration of materials and products, is gaining increasing traction as a vital strategy for achieving environmentally sound and sustainable production. The CSE report delves into the potential utilisation of approximately 750 million tonnes of diverse industrial wastes, including steel slag, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), fly ash, red mud, biomass, and hazardous waste, across various industrial sectors. Beyond this impressive figure, the adoption of circular practices is projected to conserve over 450 million tonnes of vital natural resources such as coal and gypsum, resources that are increasingly under pressure. Furthermore, the potential for mitigating climate change is substantial, with carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions estimated to fall within the range of 50 to 90 million tonnes.
Speaking at a National Dialogue convened to discuss the findings of the CSE report, Sunita Narain, the Director General of CSE, articulated the critical role of industry in India’s sustainability journey. “Industries, contributing over 30 percent to India’s GDP, are significant consumers of our natural resources and substantial generators of waste. They are also major contributors to pollution and carbon emissions,” she stated. Emphasising the global and national significance of circularity, Narain highlighted the fundamental principle that “waste is not merely waste, but a valuable resource.” This transformative model champions the sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling of existing materials and products, effectively extending their useful lifecycle and decoupling economic growth from finite resource consumption.
Narain further stressed the urgent need for a paradigm shift in industrial waste management, advocating for an approach that moves beyond simply transferring pollutants from one location to another. “The waste from one industry should become a resource for another. Industrial activity should not contribute to pollution but instead follow a path of responsible circularity,” she asserted. Highlighting CSE’s work in this crucial area, she underscored its potential as a “game-changer, making a significant impact on resource use in the country.” The National Dialogue served as a crucial platform to explore how circularity can function not only as an effective tool for waste management but also as a catalyst for achieving broader co-benefits, including decarbonisation, cleaner air quality, resource conservation, and significant cost optimisation for industries.
Presenting the detailed findings of the CSE study, Shobhit Srivastava, Programme Manager for Industrial Pollution at CSE, pointed to the encouraging steps already being taken by numerous Indian industries to enhance circularity within their operations. “Many Indian industries are already taking steps to improve circularity – they have a number of good practices that need to be scaled up,” Srivastava noted. He also highlighted the proactive initiatives undertaken by states such as Gujarat, Goa, and Karnataka in promoting circular economy principles, urging other states to follow their lead in fostering a nationwide movement towards industrial sustainability.
The CSE report further elaborates on the specific circularity potential of various industrial waste streams. For instance, out of the estimated 52.5 million tonnes of steel slag projected to be generated by 2030, a significant 35.3 to 41 million tonnes could be effectively utilised in cement manufacturing, a sector with substantial material demands. Similarly, of the massive 437 million tonnes of fly ash expected by 2030, roughly 208 to 231 million tonnes have the potential for use in the cement sector, offering a dual benefit of waste reduction and resource efficiency. Furthermore, the report highlights the significant carbon mitigation potential of utilising refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in cement industries and co-firing biomass in thermal power plants, estimating potential CO2 equivalent emission reductions in the range of 46.6 to 85.6 million tonnes by 2030. The recent notification of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2024, is expected to further enhance the circularity of both RDF and biomass within industrial applications.
However, the path towards widespread adoption of industrial circularity is not without its challenges. K Murugesan, representing stakeholders from Odisha, pointed out a critical impediment: “One of the biggest roadblocks towards scaling up industrial circularity practices is the absence of attractive taxation policies for industries utilising waste.” Echoing this sentiment, Satish Upadhyay emphasised the need for a compelling economic rationale to drive investment and ensure the viability of circularity. “We need a strong economic case to drive funding and make circularity viable. A ‘push’ strategy is ineffective for circularity – we need a ‘pull’ strategy. Demand must drive the market, ensuring maximum utilisation of resources to achieve full circularity,” Upadhyay argued.
The consensus emerging from the dialogue underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive national circular economy action plan, one that includes specific sectoral action plans tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities within different industries. Furthermore, incentivising industries through supportive policies and financial mechanisms is identified as a crucial pathway to enhance and encourage the widespread practice of waste circularity. Government intervention in formulating circularity-driven policies specifically designed for various industrial sectors is deemed essential to unlock the full potential of this transformative approach and pave the way for a more sustainable and resource-efficient industrial ecosystem in India.
