Status of C&D Waste Recycling in India

A major portion of C&D waste is generally dumped in landfills or unauthorized places in India causing considerable ecological damage. Several barriers such as inadequate regulations, lack of incentives, lack of awareness about recycling techniques, and unavailability of guidelines have been reported to hinder setting up recycling facilities in India. Amidst challenges, few recycling facilities have been commissioned and are operational in different Indian cities. A rich description of the cases helped us in tracing the evolution of recycling in India over a timeline. A multitude of factors including a pro-active urban local body, R&D efforts from PPP partner cum recycler, demonstration projects using recycled aggregates with the support of Central Road Research Institute, extensive support from the Government of India’s Ministry of Urban Development, the framing of standards and guidelines with the help of various professional bodies were found to be contributing to the successful development and operation of India’s first C&D waste recycling facility. Following this success, several plants were commissioned in other cities mimicking the same operational model. Insights discussed in the paper could be very useful for policymakers in evaluating various interventions for promoting C&D waste recycling practices in other regions and countries.