Unpacking policy perspectives and opportunities for a circular economy for plastics in India
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19469443 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Simran Talwar (0000-0003-0660-2080, University of Technology Sydney, corresponding author), Sherine Thanduparakkal (Society For Development Alternatives), Zeenat Niazi (0000-0002-5528-5360, Society For Development Alternatives), Monique Retamal (0000-0002-3128-8807, University of Technology Sydney) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Industrial Ecology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1088-1980 • E-ISSN: 1530-9290 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s44498-026-00097-x |
| OpenAlex | W7162646112 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
Plastics management remains a challenge in India. India generates > 4.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet a large portion of mixed or contaminated waste is mismanaged, ending in landfills or leaching into natural systems. A circular economy will enable better use and management of plastics, across design and production, use and end-of-life stages, to ensure valuable materials are kept longer in circulation, and new markets create demand for recovered materials. The right policy settings can be a huge enabler for the systems transition needed for India’s circular economy. Current policies tackle waste management, recycling, and extended producer responsibility. Evidence suggests a comprehensive policy agenda for the circular economy in India is needed to address the insufficient implementation and uptake of existing initiatives. This study aims to conduct a timely investigation into the nature and effectiveness of current policies, and to identify factors that are driving positive outcomes and policy interventions needed. The research adopted a qualitative methodology, involving desktop research and document analysis, semi-structured interviews, expert consultation and thematic analysis of the strengths, gaps and opportunities for policy in India. The results identified extended producer responsibility legislation to be a strength, yet there are many opportunities to improve its implementation with relevant standards, labelling, and expansion in scope. Despite many community education and training programs underway, we found single-use plastic bans were largely ineffective in most states, and that online platforms could play an integral role in facilitating collaboration and market development with India’s waste and recycling sector
Circular economy · Enabling · Extended producer responsibility · Industrial ecology · Legislation · Public policy · Reuse · Sustainability · Thematic analysis · Microplastics and Plastic Pollution · Municipal Solid Waste Management · Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |