The Waste Problem

Rising Waste Volumes: A Growing Crisis

• Rural India’s waste is rising fast, up from 0.2-0.3 kg/capita/day to 0.3-0.5 kg/capita/day in 2020 (CPCB, 2020) and is projected to reach 0.5-0.7 kg/capita/day by 2030 (World Bank, 2020)

Waste is Getting More Complex, Harder to Process

• Less Organic: Traditionally 80-90% biodegradable, rural waste is now 50-60% organic and could drop to 40-50% by 2030 (CPCB, 2017)

• More Non-Biodegradable: Inorganic waste increased from 10-15% in 2000 to 20-30% today and will soon dominate (NIRDPR, 2019)

• Plastics Surge: Plastics now make up 10-15% of rural waste, up from 2-5% in 2000, and expected to rise 25-30% in the next decade (TERI, 2021; FICCI, 2020; UNEP, 2021)

Poor Waste Sorting Leads to Massive Value Loss

• Low Household Segregation: Only 20% of rural households sort waste before disposal; 72% dump or burn mixed waste (Ministry of Jal Shakti, 2022; World Bank, 2021)

• Plastic Mismanagement: 60% of Indian’s plastic waste is uncollected or mismanaged (CPCB, 2022).

• Low Recycling Rates: Only 9% of rural plastic waste is recycled (TERI, 2020)

Infrastructure Gaps Worsen the Problem

• Limited Recycling Facilities: Over 90% of rural areas lack Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) or sorting stations, leading to landfill overflow (MoEFCC, 2022)

• E-Waste Poorly Handled: Rural India produces 10% of the country’s e-waste, but 90% is mismanaged, releasing hazardous toxins (ASSOCHAM-NEC, 2021)

• Untapped Composting Potential: Though 50-55% of rural waste is organic, less than 20% is composted, due to contamination from mixed waste (TERI, 2021)