Circularity in Plastics
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Overview
India generates an estimated 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, but only a fraction of it is effectively recycled or managed. As plastic pollution continues to pose serious environmental and public health challenges, there is an urgent need to rethink how plastic is produced, used, and disposed of. Recognising this, CRB is deepening its engagement on plastic-related issues, bringing together stakeholders across value chains to drive systemic solutions that support a just, circular, and sustainable plastic economy.
On World Environment Day 2025, CRB hosted an expert-led panel discussion on ‘Opportunities and Challenges for SMEs in Plastic Recycling in India,’ to spotlight the critical yet often overlooked role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India’s plastic recycling value chain.
CRB will continue to explore pathways for enhancing circularity in plastics – with a special focus on SMEs and businesses – while enabling policy dialogues, and fostering collaboration across industries to advance scalable and inclusive solutions.Â
Events
The Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), in partnership with The Circulate Initiative and the Responsible Sourcing Initiative, organised the workshop in Jaipur. The workshop convened SMEs, recyclers, industry associations, and ecosystem stakeholders to strengthen responsible sourcing practices across the plastic recycling value chain. Discussions focused on financial inclusion, source segregation, technology adoption, EPR compliance, and collaborative business models, highlighting the importance of collective action and sustainable practices in advancing a circular plastics economy.


CRB hosted a multi-stakeholder dialogue on ‘Opportunities and Challenges for SMEs in Plastic Recycling in India’ on 29 May 2025 at India International Centre, New Delhi.
The discussion brought together industry experts, policymakers, businesses, and civil society to spotlight the pivotal role of SMEs in India’s plastic recycling value chain. The event explored actionable pathways to build SME capacities, unlock innovation and finance, and promote shared responsibility across the plastic ecosystem.



