As India confronts unprecedented waste management challenges, circular economy emerges as a critical pathway for sustainable growth. With over 70 million tonnes of municipal solid waste projected by 2026 and the potential to unlock $624 billion annually by 2050, there’s an urgent need for scalable solutions that transform waste into wealth.
Circular India – An Awareness to Action Toolkit, developed in collaboration with UNDP India, SBI Foundation, and Xynteo, provides a comprehensive framework for accelerating circularity across India’s waste ecosystem.
Drawing insights from five years of programmes across 10 cities, this resource demonstrates how effective waste management requires five key elements:
- Strategic partnerships that create shared value across the waste value chain
- Robust infrastructure, including decentralised Material Recovery Facilities
- Behaviour change communication achieving 2.5x higher segregation rates through tested frameworks
- Meaningful inclusion of Safai Mitras as entrepreneurs, providing access to 25,000 government social protection schemes
- Sustained citizen engagement transforming waste segregation from mandate to movement
The initiative has diverted over 10,000 tonnes of waste from landfills, created 200+ green jobs, and engaged 200,000+ citizens in behaviour change campaigns. Central to this success is recognising India’s 4 million Safai Mitras as change agents whose formal inclusion is essential for scaling circular solutions.
This Toolkit aims to empower stakeholders across the waste management ecosystem to adopt, implement, and scale circular initiatives that align impact with profitability. The goal is to accelerate India’s transition to a circular economy where waste becomes a valuable resource for sustainable development, creating lasting benefits for people, planet, and prosperity.
Ritik Kumar Sinha
Associate Partner
Kavya Jain
Manager
Pragya Ojha
Senior Consultant
