Policy Prescription for Circular Economy to Boost Infra Construction

At a time when India is pushing policy reforms in a big way to provide a major boost to its economy, the generation of colossal 9.46 million tons of plastic waste every year and 150 metric tons of construction waste annually (about 40% of the global C&D waste), with only 20-25% of recycling rate, calls for a major policy prescription to check not just this massive waste but also the resultant environment degradation. It is here that the concept of circular economy gains ground as it can give a significant boost to sustainability in infra construction.
Vinod Behl

The circular economy decouples economic growth from the ever-increasing natural resource demands of the current ‘take & dispose’ (linear) economy, preserving biological and infinite materials, and, in turn, presenting compelling economic, environmental, and social benefits. The circular economy is centred around the 6R principles for circularity, with an aim to reuse or significantly reduce the amount of materials entering the system. This is achieved by maximising the amount of materials recovered and subsequently reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled. It is in this context that the infra construction sector can make a significant contribution.