Doing more with less: recycling plastic in India

India generates nearly 26,000 metric tons of plastic waste daily, but the country is working to improve its recycling rate.
At our technology lab in Bengaluru, we’re developing plastics for packaging applications that can be easier to recycle.*
Our lab also designs plastic-packaging solutions that can be made using fewer materials.

News

2 min read

• Sept. 10, 2024

India aims to significantly reduce plastic waste and increase plastic recycling.

The country currently generates about 26,000 metric tons of plastic waste a day. Much of it ends up in landfills.

But India is taking steps to increase plastic circularity. This includes creating mechanisms to improve the collection of plastic waste and recyclability of plastic products.

In fact, according to a roadmap for plastic-waste reduction – developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) – India could be recycling two-thirds of all used plastic as soon as by 2035.

A key to supporting plastic circularity is creating plastic products that can withstand the rigours of daily life but are also easier to recycle at end of life.

The good news is that a combination of product innovation and policies aimed at encouraging plastic recycling is already helping to make a difference.

Meet the researchers at ExxonMobil’s Bengaluru Research and Development Technology Center (BRDTC), who are working to help India reduce plastic waste.

The BRDTC is also helping to address the plastic-waste challenge in other ways, such as “doing more with less.” The center carries out extensive real-world testing on plastics.

BRDTC’s Swathi H.K. says that their decades of testing experience help them meet varied customer requirements. This includes products that can enable the use of fewer virgin materials in plastic packaging while ensuring that it’s strong and can help keep contents safe.