Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav addressed the Circular Economy Conference organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi on October 22, 2026. The minister highlighted India's efforts to translate policy intent into meaningful action through clear policies, regulatory reforms, digital compliance systems, and a whole-of-government approach to advance the circular economy.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Government has progressively strengthened the legal framework governing waste management by introducing sector-specific rules for nine waste streams: plastic waste, battery waste, e-waste, waste tyres, used oil, end-of-life vehicles, construction and demolition waste, non-ferrous scrap metal, and solid waste. These rules focus on waste prevention, recycling, reuse, remanufacturing, and resource recovery across the product lifecycle.
As of the conference date, nearly 499.60 lakh metric tonnes of waste had been processed across regulated waste streams, with more than 86,043 producers and 4,880 recyclers registered under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks. The EPR framework requires producers, importers, and brand owners to ensure environmentally sound management of products at the end of their life. The transfer of EPR certificates provides financial incentives to recyclers, encouraging capacity expansion, technological advancement, and increased recycling, while contributing to job creation and livelihoods across the recycling value chain.
The minister emphasized that regulation alone cannot create a circular economy and highlighted the importance of the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative, which calls for mindful and deliberate resource utilization instead of destructive consumption. On industry concerns regarding digital compliance, EPR market operations, and transaction timelines, Yadav invited stakeholders to continue sharing practical problems and suggestions, noting that the government is working on a market-based approach.
On plastic waste management specifically, the minister called for greater coordination between producers and recyclers to address concerns over the availability of recyclable material and recycling capacity. He stressed that the objective goes beyond issuing certificates to creating jobs, strengthening local industry capacity, promoting knowledge-sharing, and advancing technology.
Regarding Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, Yadav emphasized the need for technology adoption, capacity building, online monitoring, stronger accountability, and financial sustainability of urban local bodies. He highlighted the importance of four-stream segregation of solid waste – wet, dry, sanitary, and special-care waste – and public participation. Effective implementation of SWM Rules would help control legacy waste and strengthen urban systems.
The minister concluded by calling for coordinated efforts by the government, industry, and urban local bodies to advance the circular economy, with specific emphasis on stronger recovery of critical minerals from e-waste and batteries, and greater industry participation in developing secondary raw-material markets and strengthening supply-chain traceability.