New Delhi [India], March 01: The 2nd India Circularity Conclave 2025 was organized on 28 February by Policy Times in association with RLG Systems India Pvt Ltd, and Pollution Control Boards of Assam, Kerala, and Punjab. The event aimed to drive discussions on India’s journey towards material circularity through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Held at IIC Annexe, New Delhi, it brought together key industry leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts. The conclave also featured the ‘Circularity Excellence Award 2025’, recognizing leaders in sustainability who are setting benchmarks in waste management, recycling, and eco-friendly product innovation. Dignitaries present at the event included Dr. Arup Kumar Misra, Chairman, Pollution Control Board of Assam; Er. Sreekala S., Chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board; Dr. Jayanthi Murali, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and Prof. Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, among others.
Objectives of the India Circularity Conclave 2025 included:
Establishing a unified national EPR framework for material circularity
Enhancing India's recycling capabilities
Driving innovation and technology adoption
Capacity building and skill development
With India generating around 1.50 crore tonnes of e-waste and plastic waste annually, the importance of efficient recycling, waste management, and sustainable practices has never been more urgent. By 2050, India's circular economy is expected to reach a market value of $2 trillion, generating 10 million jobs. However, with EPR policies currently covering only 10-15% of total waste, there is a massive opportunity for innovation and regulatory advancements.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has introduced EPR regulations for e-waste, vehicles, plastic packaging, waste tyres, batteries, and used oil, driving recycling, formal sector integration, and product innovation. By 2050, India's circular economy could be worth $2 trillion, creating 10 million jobs. However, with EPR policies covering only 10-15% of total waste, innovation and regulatory expansion are essential for sustainable growth and resource efficiency. In view of these facts, key topics of discussion included:
Role of policy and regulation in material circularity
Global best practices in material recovery and EPR
Sustainable supply chain practices and innovations in biodegradability
Circular business models and employee engagement in sustainability
Strategies emphasized by most speakers included redesigning products for circularity, investment in advanced recycling technologies, strengthening supply chain collaboration, and enhancing consumer awareness to bring about behavioural change. Other key themes discussed included the urgency to transition to a circular economy, need for collaboration to boost recycling industries, driving policy innovation, promoting eco-friendly alternatives to replace single-use plastics, increasing efforts to tackle marine pollution and improve waste management in order to empower those from the informal sector, such as ragpickers, and enhancing community-based sustainability practices.
Speaking about the importance of circular economy initiatives, Ms. Radhika Kalia, MD, RLG Systems India Pvt Ltd, said, “A strong EPR framework is critical to achieving India’s sustainability goals. Events like The India Circularity Conclave 2025 help drive the discourse on sustainability and generate policy recommendations, action plans, and strategic industry collaborations to advance material circularity. I congratulate and thank the all the industry stakeholders, media representatives, policymakers on being a part of this transformative conversation and for gracing the event with their presence. I am confident that together through sincere efforts and singlemindedness of purpose, we would be able to usher in the age of sustainable business and societal practices”
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