- India generates significant amounts of annual waste, including 62 million tonnes of total waste, 5.6 million tonnes of plastic waste, and 0.17 million tonnes of biomedical waste. Waste generation is projected to increase substantially by 2030 and 2050.
- Only about 75-80% of municipal waste is collected in cities, and only 22-28% of collected waste is processed and treated. The majority of waste is dumped in landfill sites.
- Untreated waste presents opportunities to generate renewable energy through production of refuse derived fuel, biogas, and compost. However, India faces challenges of inadequate waste management systems and requirements for large tracts of land for landfills.