- India's plastic recycling market is set to grow 9-11% annually over the next decade
- Stronger regulations and investments have transformed the plastic recycling ecosystem
- Challenges remain in waste collection, segregation, and informal sector integration
India's plastic recycling market is expected to grow at 9-11% annually over the next 5-10 years, primarily driven by rising demand for recycled plastics, Association of Plastic Recyclers, Bharat, has said.
“The plastic recycling ecosystem in the country has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, supported by stronger regulations such as EPR and recycled-content mandates, increased investment and the adoption of world-class technologies. We expect the market to grow at around 9-11 per cent CAGR over the next 5-10 years, driven by rising demand for recycled plastics," Association of Plastic Recyclers Bharat director general Shailendra Singh said in a statement.
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However, collection, source segregation and the integration of the informal sector into the formal recycling economy still remained major challenges, he said on the sidelines of Plastics Recycling Show India (PRS India) 2026 and Bharat Recycling Show (BRS) 2026 organised by Media Fusion and Crain Communications.
“Recent fluctuations in virgin polymer prices have highlighted India's dependence on imported petrochemicals and the need to promote recycled plastics to improve resource security and self-reliance,” he added.
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) chairman Siddhesh Ramdas Kadam called for stronger collaboration between industry, government, citizens and young people to accelerate the country's transition towards a circular economy.
In a recent clean-up of Mumbai's Juhu Beach, 180 tonnes of waste was collected in six hours, while municipal authorities collect around 80-120 tonnes of waste every day on average, he stated.
Addressing the problem requires more than penalties and enforcement, he outlined, while calling for greater participation from manufacturers and citizens in ensuring waste is segregated at source.
“We need to focus on small, practical steps such as segregation of waste at source. Ten smaller chains can ultimately lead to one big chain and make a significant difference. Manufacturers also have a social responsibility because the waste generated from their products ultimately becomes the raw material for the recycling industry," he added.
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Hyderabad headquartered plastic recycling firm Banyan Nation's General Manager and Head of Business Development, Kiarah Ahuja, said the company has been working on India's polyolefin recycling challenge since 2013, building one of the country's earliest organised supply chains for high-quality HDPE recycling.
“Our Hyderabad facility today has 10,000 tonnes of annual capacity and we are scaling this to 50,000 tonnes through a new Bengaluru facility over the next four years. As the market scales, the focus now needs to shift towards building reliable, certified recycling capacity and strengthening the supply chain. Ultimately, EPR can do for recycled plastic what renewable purchase obligations did for solar by creating the demand,” she added.
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