# Waste and recycling Stratum 1 · First transformations Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/ Stratum 1 · First transformations ## Waste and recycling Collects, sorts, recycles, treats and disposes of municipal, industrial and hazardous waste, and returns metals, paper, plastics and energy to the economy. The world generated about 2.1 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2023, heading for 3.8 billion by 2050, and spent about US$ 252 billion directly on managing it in 2020 (UNEP). Collection and disposal are local and often municipal, while scrap trading is global: steelmakers used about 480 Mt of ferrous scrap in 2025 (BIR).^[1](https://www.unep.org/resources/global-waste-management-outlook-2024) **India.** Indian cities generate about 1.66 lakh tonnes of municipal waste a day and process about 80% of it, against processing capacity for about 16% in 2014, under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban^[2](https://www.iamrenew.com/environment/indian-cities-raise-waste-processing-capacity-to-80-in-10-years-mohua/). India was also the world's second-largest ferrous scrap importer in 2025 at about 8 Mt, so domestic scrap collection, battery and e-waste recycling and waste-to-compressed-biogas are the growth areas^[3](https://gmk.center/en/news/global-scrap-consumption-rose-by-4-5-y-y-in-2025-bir/). Depends on 0 of 35 industries · 0 directly Relied on by 3 industries, directly or indirectly Enterprise types 11 in 6 stages Chokepoints 0 rated 5 of 5 Size about US$ 252 billion direct global cost of municipal waste management 2020 ## [Where ₹100 of waste and recycling output goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/cost-mix/) Where ₹100 of waste and recycling output goes Every rupee of sales is paid out to someone along the chain. This splits ₹100 of output by who finally receives it, so you can see how exposed the industry is to commodity, chemical and energy prices. Commodities ₹6.5 Chemicals ₹0.9 Energy ₹12.8 Wages… ## [Price links with supplier industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/price-links/) Price links with supplier industries How the industries this one buys from shape its prices: the share of its costs they make up, and how their prices have moved together. Tap a row for the charts. Hover or tap ? for what each measure means. Supplier industry Cost share Raw-material mix… ## [Follow one offering through the chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/story/) Follow one offering through the chain 1 Example story · 7 steps · India Indore's rubbish, from doorstep to bus fuel Follow one day of India's cleanest city's waste, from six-way sorting at home to bio-CNG, bales and EPR certificates. 1 / 7 · Generation and segregation A city that owns its rubbish… ## [Value chain, from upstream to the customer](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/value-chain/) Value chain, from upstream to the customer Criticality to the chain: 5 · Chokepoint 4 · Critical 3 · Important 2 · Supporting 1 · Commodity service Stage 1 Generation and segregation Municipal bodies and bulk waste generators 4 · Critical Hold the legal duty for city waste, set segregation rules… ## [What the whole chain draws on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/materials/) What the whole chain draws on Every commodity, chemical and energy tile named by the enterprises above; ×n shows how many of them depend on it. Open any tile for its full detail. Commodities (13) St Steel ×3 Cu Copper ×2 Pb Lead ×2 CaO Lime ×2 Li Lithium Co Cobalt Ni Nickel Au Gold Kao Kaolin &… ## [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/risks/) Chokepoints and risks Volume growth outpaces capacity: municipal waste is set to rise from 2.1 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050 1 . Open dumping: at least 33% of municipal waste was not managed in an environmentally safe way in 2016 4 . Weak municipal finances delay payments to contractors, the main… ## [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/sources/) Sources Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 UN Environment Programme and ISWA, 2024 Indian cities raise waste processing capacity to 80% in 10 years: MoHUA Mercom (iamrenew), citing Rajya Sabha reply, 2025 Global scrap consumption rose by 4.5% y/y in 2025: BIR GMK Center (Bureau of International… ## Relationship cards - [Computers and electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/computers-and-electronics-and-waste-and-recycling/): Discarded phones, computers and screens are the feedstock for e-waste recyclers, and India's extended producer responsibility rules make electronics brands pay recyclers to take them back. The money link is small in input-output terms, but the rules, the certificate price and the metal content of circuit boards decide whether formal recycling can outbid the informal trade. *(researched)* - [Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/paper-and-packaging-and-waste-and-recycling/): Used cartons and paper collected by the waste trade are the main fibre for Indian paper mills, which make about three quarters of their output from recycled fibre. Because only about 57% of used paper is recovered at home, mills also import millions of tonnes of waste paper a year, so domestic collection and foreign export rules both shape mill costs. *(researched)* - [Plastic and rubber products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/plastic-and-rubber-products-and-waste-and-recycling/): Plastic packaging and tyres end up as waste that recyclers turn back into resin, crumb rubber and fuel, and India's extended producer responsibility rules make producers pay for that recycling and, from 2025-26, use recycled plastic in their packaging. The rules turn a weak market link into a regulated one, but fake recycling certificates show that enforcement is the weak point. *(researched)* - [Metal products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/metal-products-and-waste-and-recycling/): Scrap closes the metal loop: mills and foundries melt it, and worn-out metal products become the next supply. India uses about 41 Mt of ferrous scrap a year but imported about 9 Mt in FY25, and its low-carbon steel plans need far more. *(researched)* - [Biogas and biomethane](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/biogas-and-biomethane-and-waste-and-recycling/): Wet organic waste, from city food waste to cattle dung and sugar-mill press mud, is the raw material for compressed biogas, so India's SATAT, GOBARdhan and blending mandate turn waste handling into a gas supply business; plant economics rest on clean, segregated feedstock and on selling the manure as well as the gas. *(researched)* - [Copper](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/copper-and-waste-and-recycling/): Copper can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality, so scrap supplies about a third of world copper use; for recyclers copper is the most valuable metal in cables, motors and e-waste, and for India imported scrap fills the gap between domestic collection and its secondary rod plants. *(researched)* - [Public administration, defence and security](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/public-administration-defence-and-security-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Public administration, defence and security; public administration, defence and security buys from Waste and recycling; waste and recycling depends on public administration, defence and security; public administration, defence and security depends on waste and recycling. - [Water and sanitation](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/waste-and-recycling-and-water-and-sanitation/): Water and sanitation buys from Waste and recycling; waste and recycling buys from Water and sanitation; water and sanitation depends on waste and recycling; waste and recycling depends on water and sanitation. - [Apparel and footwear](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/apparel-and-footwear-and-waste-and-recycling/): Apparel and footwear buys from Waste and recycling; apparel and footwear depends on waste and recycling. - [Building materials](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/building-materials-and-waste-and-recycling/): Building materials buys from Waste and recycling; building materials depends on waste and recycling. - [Construction and infrastructure](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/construction-and-infrastructure-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Construction and infrastructure; waste and recycling depends on construction and infrastructure. - [Electrical equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electrical-equipment-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Electrical equipment; waste and recycling depends on electrical equipment. - [Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/finance-banking-insurance-markets-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Finance: banking, insurance, markets; waste and recycling depends on finance: banking, insurance, markets. - [Healthcare services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/healthcare-services-and-waste-and-recycling/): Healthcare services buys from Waste and recycling; healthcare services depends on waste and recycling. - [Hospitality and tourism](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/hospitality-and-tourism-and-waste-and-recycling/): Hospitality and tourism buys from Waste and recycling; hospitality and tourism depends on waste and recycling. - [Household and personal care](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/household-and-personal-care-and-waste-and-recycling/): Household and personal care buys from Waste and recycling; household and personal care depends on waste and recycling. - [Machinery and equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/machinery-and-equipment-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Machinery and equipment; waste and recycling depends on machinery and equipment. - [Medical devices](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/medical-devices-and-waste-and-recycling/): Medical devices buys from Waste and recycling; medical devices depends on waste and recycling. - [Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/real-estate-and-waste-and-recycling/): Real estate buys from Waste and recycling; real estate depends on waste and recycling. - [Semiconductors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/semiconductors-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Semiconductors; waste and recycling depends on semiconductors. - [Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/software-and-it-services-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Software and IT services; waste and recycling depends on software and IT services. - [Transport and logistics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Transport and logistics; waste and recycling depends on transport and logistics. - [Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/vehicles-ships-rail-aircraft-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft; waste and recycling depends on vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft. - [AC transmission](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ac-transmission-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on AC transmission. - [Activated carbon](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/activated-carbon-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on activated carbon. - [Aluminium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/aluminium-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on aluminium. - [Ammonia](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ammonia-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on ammonia. - [CNG, LPG and biogas distribution](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/cng-lpg-and-biogas-distribution-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on CNG, LPG and biogas distribution. - [Caustic soda](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/caustic-soda-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on caustic soda. - [Cement](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/cement-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on cement. - [Cobalt](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/cobalt-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on cobalt. - [Combustion road vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/combustion-road-vehicles-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on combustion road vehicles. - [Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/crude-oil-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on crude oil. - [Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/distribution-grids-mini-grids-and-interconnectors-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors. - [Electric and hybrid vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electric-and-hybrid-vehicles-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on electric and hybrid vehicles. - [Electric motors and drives](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electric-motors-and-drives-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on electric motors and drives. - [Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/energy-in-buildings-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on energy in buildings. - [Gold](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/gold-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on gold. - [High-density polyethylene](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/high-density-polyethylene-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on high-density polyethylene. - [Hydrogen peroxide](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/hydrogen-peroxide-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on hydrogen peroxide. - [Kaolin & clays](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/kaolin-and-clays-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on kaolin & clays. - [Lead](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lead-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on lead. - [Lead-acid batteries](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lead-acid-batteries-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on lead-acid batteries. - [Lime](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lime-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on lime. - [Lithium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lithium-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on lithium. - [Manganese](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/manganese-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on manganese. - [Muscle power](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/muscle-power-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on muscle power. - [Nickel](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/nickel-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on nickel. - [Nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/nickel-rich-lithium-ion-batteries-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries. - [PET resin](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pet-resin-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on PET resin. - [Reagents and high-purity lab chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/reagents-and-high-purity-lab-chemicals-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on reagents and high-purity lab chemicals. - [Ship propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ship-propulsion-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on ship propulsion. - [Steam turbines and thermal power plants](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/steam-turbines-and-thermal-power-plants-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on steam turbines and thermal power plants. - [Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/steel-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on steel. - [Sulphuric acid](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/sulphuric-acid-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on sulphuric acid. - [Surfactants](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/surfactants-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling depends on surfactants. - [Waste-to-energy](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/waste-and-recycling-and-waste-to-energy/): Waste and recycling depends on waste-to-energy. - [Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/waste-and-recycling-and-water/): Waste and recycling depends on water. - [Water treatment chemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/waste-and-recycling-and-water-treatment-chemicals/): Waste and recycling depends on water treatment chemicals. ## Other sections - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/price-links/index.md) - [Example story](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/story/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/waste_recycling/sources/index.md)