6 Reasons Why Plastic Recycling in India is Important - Recykal (2024)

• August 8, 2021

| 4 Min read

India is a rapidly developing nation. With development comes waste generation, and India is no exception. Right from municipal solid waste, plastic waste, to automobile waste, the amount of waste is expected to be 3 times by 2025. But what is the solution to this? Reduce-Reuse-Recycle – the 3R’s have held utmost significance in economies around the world. In the context of this blog, one of the 3R’s- in terms of plastics is talked about .i.e Plastic Recycling in India.

The estimates of plastic waste being generated are on a rise, with bottlenecks in the waste management system. Recycling is the way forward for a sustained and robust waste management ecosystem in India.

Here are 6 reasons why Plastic Recycling in India is important

1. Reduces stress on resources

First, Recycling creates a circular economy for the waste generated. This helps in reducing the dependence on energy and raw material resources.

Commonly used plastic is the PET Bottle. It takes:

3 liters of water

1/4th liter of crude oil

…to produce one 1L plastic bottle, imagine how much would be needed to continue to meet the demand for plastics in India. As of 2019, India produces 3.3 million tonnes of plastics each year, with the pandemic looming over us – this number is predicted to increase.

One ton of recycled plastic saves 5,774 Kwh of energy, 16.3 barrels of oil, 98 million BTU’s of energy, and 30 cubic yards of landfill space

Stanford University

Plastic recycling in India will greatly reduce the dependence on raw materials and the need for extracting virgin materials. PET Scrap or PET bottle scrap has been gaining importance with the growing demand for recycled plastic in India and around the world.

What is plastic Recycling?

2. Reduces the stress on waste disposal mechanisms

Second, India alone generates more than 2600 truckloads of plastic waste each day, with recycling rates rising, yet more than 40% of the waste generated ends up in our landfills.

Authorities and organisations like Recykal are working towards creating a channel of waste using digital platforms and an on-field network of recyclers, which will help direct the waste from your bin to a recycler rather than to a landfill where it may be burnt!

5 severe hazards of burning plastic waste

The destiny of plastic from your hands to the landfill or the sea can be changed to recycling with a small conscious effort for our environment.

3. Helps protect the environment

Third, Plastic Recycling is important because of the effect plastic waste has on the environment and other living organisms.

Improperly disposed plastic waste has a lot of negative impacts on the system, particularly the environment. On average, 11 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the marine ecosystem each year. A recent study by Yu et. al., 2020 modeled that by 2040 this amount would triple if no actions are taken.

The littered plastic harms the air, water, soil, and living organisms in the environment. Multiple cases of animal deaths have been reported due to littered plastic waste.

4. Creates a value-channel for waste

Fourth, Waste is more valuable than many perceive it to be, especially plastic. Recycling, especially plastic recycling sets a system in place which creates a value chain for waste.

Waste is valuable and Waste is a resource

Team Recykal’s digital technology of connecting waste generators with recyclers works as a valuable channel that helps the stakeholders get the right price for the waste.

Recykal Point, Recykal Marketplace, Recykal SmartCentre create a robust and transparent system that has and is enabling stakeholders to receive due value for their waste.

5. Strengthens the Economy

Fifth, Plastic Recycling creates a sustainable and robust economy due to its ‘circular’ nature. Below are a few of the many ways why it is important to the waste management ecosystem in India.

• Helps create jobs

Indian waste management ecosystem is largely supported by the informal sector. Along with the informal sector, recycling and waste handling units across the country will create countless jobs – supporting local communities and economies.

• Domestic support

Local plastic recycling units help in providing domestic support of material supply to industries in and around the state or across the country. The use of recycled plastic reduces the dependence on international imports

• Administrative support

Recycling helps authorities manage the waste generated in the jurisdiction effectively. Policy tools such as EPR or Extended Producer Responsibility are well supported if Recycling is strengthened in the country. EPR certification of a brand is well supported if there is a robust recycling system in place.

6. Creates a sustainable future

Finally, Recycling in other terms is nothing but giving a piece of waste another life. This activity greatly enables a culture of optimal use of resources and workforce which in turn translates into saving money and strengthening the ecosystem. As stated above, recycling creates a sustainable economy which in turn creates a sustainable future for years to come. Environmentally speaking – Recycling keeps the waste out of the environment and in the economy which is a healthy sustainable system.

In conclusion, the above listen points are a few of the many benefits of recycling and why it is important to recycle in the present fast-paced environment.

Recykal Today for a Safer Tomorrow!

If you are a brand, bulk waste generator, or a manufacturer looking to recycle your waste? Get in touch with us and we will connect you with a network of recyclers, and aggregators, helping you effectively translate your waste to value!