Towards making India a global recycling hub, Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) has been meticulously working towards a circular economy & sustainable recycling operations in India. The 9th IMRC conference from 5th – 7th May 2022 at Leela Convention Centre, Shahdara, Delhi addressed the growing concerns for making India a green superpower by 2030. The MRAI addressed issues like Segregation of waste at the generation level, Usage of a minimum percentage of recyclable scrap in every manufacturing activity in India, setting up Recycling Park/Clusters in India, government tenders to allow recycling materials complying BIS and industry status for Recycling Dept under the Government of India, Single Window Clearances for Recycling Industry and revision of GST from 18% to 5% for raw materials shortly.
Shri. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways was a chief guest at the plenary session of Day 3 through a VC.
Dr. Bhagwat Karad, Minister of State of Finance, and Mr. Brian Henesy of ISRI, Mr. Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI, Mr. Dhawal Shah, Sr. Vice President and Mr. Zain Nathani, Vice President, MRAI were the speaker at the plenary session.
The event was mainly focussing on growing challenges faced by the recycling industry and drew a roadmap to make India a green superpower by 2030 to align with the Government of India’s ambitious target of carbon reduction.
While speaking on the occasion Shri. Nitin Gadkari shared, “Govt. is ensuring lesser compliance and a simplified process to set up scrap recycling centers through single window clearance centers. Setting up scrapping centers will help in import substitution. The recycling industry will also generate huge employment in India especially for the weaker section of the society. There is a shortage of semiconductors in India which can also be addressed by scrap processing. The scrapping policy is designed in a way to invite investment from small or big automobile companies to be a part of this industry”.
Dr. Bhagwat Karad, MOS, Ministry of Finance said, “150 government PSUs are involved in recycling activities today. Recycling has not played a significant role in protecting the environment and also growing India sustainably”. He also assured the revision of GST from 18% to 5% on raw materials for the recycling industry with the GST department, Ministry of Finance.
The event saw vital panel discussions on topics like “Indian E-waste Industry– Time to Synergize, ELV the Road ahead, A Paradigm Shift: BIS Standards, Plastic Recycling to align with Advance Technology, Circular Economy, Role of Secondary Steel, etc.
Mr. Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI said that “Indian government’s policy thrust on the circular economy becomes an important step to acknowledge the power of recycling. With this, we are very confident that ‘Recovery and Reuse of waste will play the key role in India’s growth story at the time when India is moving towards the manufacturing intensive green economy. We are also flagging off the campaign to sensitize students in schools & colleges to create massive awareness.
There is a need to develop recycling parks across the country. Most developed countries have banned cash transactions of scrap and hence we suggest UPI ecosystem.”
Recyclers from across the country opined that GOI should remove duty on metal scrap import not till India generates sufficient quality and quantity of scrap from the domestic market.
There is also a need to unlock the availability and systematic circular flow of domestic scrap. “We intend to create massive awareness amongst the masses through our flagship campaign #recycleindia and request the Govt of India to ably support our initiative. India gives a steel output of 35 to 40%. “By 2030, we will make the recycling industry a global hub of material recycling. Our products will be part of the global supply chain. We also request GOI to consider BIS on finished products instead of scrap “, shared Mr. Dhawal Shah, Sr. Vice President, MRAI. “Let’s recycle not as an option for making money, but an obligation & responsibility towards future generations”,
Mr. Sanjay Mehta summed up the session.
Highlighting the rising role of Secondary Steel,
Mr Zain Nathani, VP, MRAI said that “Secondary steel is playing an important role in making India as Atmanirbhar in the steel industry. Ferrous scrap based steel will be a key driver to achieve India’s targets set out in the “Vision 2047”.
Talking on the 9th IMRC successful event with the participation of more than 1500 delegates,
Mr. Amar Singh Secretary General, MRAI further shared, “The 9th edition of IMRC took the place at a key juncture when Indian government has worked out a plan with the launch of policy reforms such as vehicle scrappage policy, EPR on E-Waste, Plastic, Tyre, Batteries etc. So it’s the right time to invest in the Indian Recycling Industry”.
