Closing the Loop: Unlocking an inclusive circular economy approach 

Learnings from Case Study in Pune2018

Overview of Pune city

Pune is the 9th most populous city in India. 

Oxford of the East (educational and cultural center)

Total population of the Pune urban agglomeration is approximately 5.05 million  with nearly 1.2 million households/ properties generating waste.

Area of city is 331 sq. kms.

Total waste generated: 2000 TPD

Per capita (in grams) – PMC estimates: 397 gms

Overview of Pune waste management

Door‐Step Collection through multiple mechanisms SWaCH Cooperative (52.5%): 1,050 MTPD PMC run waste collection vehicles (17.5%): 350 MTPD Private contractors (10%): 200 MTPD Community Bins (7.5%): 150 MTPD In‐situ Composting (7.5%): 150 MTPD Uncollected (5%): 100 MTPD

Decentralized waste‐management – of organic waste and recyclables In‐situ composting (150 MTPD) Bio‐methanation & Composting plants (515 MTPD) Diverted to Farmers (145 MTPD) Recycled by SWaCH (170 MTPD)

Integration of informal waste‐pickers in door step collection (3000 Waste‐Pickers)

Presence of a healthy partially integrated informal waste recycling sector

Solid Waste Flow in Pune

Municipal solid waste generation

(2000 MT per day)

PMC’s waste collection 

Ghantagadi vehicles(350 MT per day)

SWaCH waste pickers(1050 MT per day)

PMC’s community bins and containers (150 MT per day)

Private collectors(200 MT per day)

Uncollected ‐littered/illegally dumped

(100 MT per day)

Transfer stations

Composting (Wet waste)

Material recycling (Dry waste) 

Biogas production (Wet waste)

Composted in‐situ(150 MT per day)

RDF production and Incineration 

(Mixed and Dry waste)

Landfill (Mixed waste)

Informal Waste‐Pickers and SWaCH Pune

Waste‐Pickers are informal workers collecting recyclable materials from streets, bins andlandfills. They sort such material into 40+ types and send it for recycling to earn theirlivelihood.

The Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (1993) – Trade Union – Current membership10,000

Various facilities provided by PMC in recognition of contribution– ID Cards (1996), MedicalInsurance (2002), Life Insurance (2006), Scholarship to children of waste pickers and accessto subsidized healthcare (2015) etc.

Pilot program run by KKPKP for integration in 2005 ‐ 2007

SWaCH Pune Cooperative set up as a joint effort of the Pune Municipal Corporation andKKPKP in 2007. Formal engagement with PMC during 2008 – 2013 and 2016 – 2020.

PMC & SWaCH Cooperative’s Waste Collection Mechanism

One / Two waste‐pickers collect from 150 – 300 households using non‐motorized push‐carts.

Segregated waste is collected from waste generators.

Wet waste is composted at source where possible. 

Dry waste is sorted by waste‐pickers into 40+ categories and sent for recycling.

Residue wet waste and non‐recyclable waste is transferred to PMC vehicles off at city‐run feeder points.

Waste‐pickers receive user fees directly from citizens for collection service. Sale of scrap is their other source of income.

Equipment, Sorting Centers (for dry recyclables) and supervision costs provided by PMC.

SWaCH’s 3000 waste‐pickers servicing over 660,000 properties daily. 

Closing the Loop – Observations & Recommendations

• Waste characteristics• Plastic Waste Generation • Plastic Waste Flow including leakages• Participation and contribution of the informal recycling sector• Recommendations for improving linkages between the formal and informal sectors for better plastic waste management

Organic74.20%

Plastic8.31%

Paper7.57%

Glass2.47%

Sanitary2.42%

Cloth1.66%

Other1.30%

Inert1.14%

Shoes0.54%

Metal0.33%

Electronic0.06%

Type of Waste Percentage Tons Per Day

Organic 74.20 1483.9

Plastic 8.31 166.2

Paper 7.57 151.3

Glass 2.47 49.3

Sanitary 2.42 48.3

Cloth 1.66 33.3

Other 1.30 26.0

Inert 1.14 22.9

Shoes 0.54 10.9

Metal 0.33 6.7

Electronic 0.06 1.2

Waste‐Characterisation

Type of Plastic % TPD

Coloured Plastic Packaging (Mixed Men)

47.75 79.4Chip bags and packets (Kurkure) 16.37 27.2

HDPE containers (Phuga) 15.63 26.0

Milk Bag (Doodh Pishvi) 7.17 11.9

Thick PET bottles (Kadkadi) 5.34 8.9White high grade film plastic (LD) 2.42 4.0

Styrofoam (Tharmocol) 2.11 3.5

Tetrapak (Juice Dabba) 1.21 2.0

Small plastic pieces (Kadak) 1.38 1.6Bicycle seats and Rubber Tubes 0.34 0.4

Cement bags (Rafiya) 0.18 0.3

PVC pipes 0.08 0.1

Coloured Plastic Packaging (Mixed Men)

47.76%

Chip bags and packets (Kurkure)16.37%

HDPE containers (Phuga)15.63%

Milk Bag (Doodh Pishvi)7.17%

Thick PET bottles (Kadkadi)5.34%

White high grade film plastic (LD)

2.42%

Styrofoam (Tharmocol)2.11%

Tetrapak (Juice Dabba)1.21%

Small plastic pieces (Kadak)1.38%

Bicycle seats and Rubber Tubes0.34%

Cement bags (Rafiya)0.18%

PVC pipes0.08%

PlasticWaste‐Characterisation

TPDRecycled 53.3Non‐Recyclable 32.7Partially recyclable 79.4

Informal Recycling Sector Participants

Type Numbers

Swach Waste‐Pickers 3000

Non‐Swach KKPKP (Pune) 4000

Non‐affiliated itinerant waste‐pickers ~1500

Small and Medium Scrap Shops ~600

Large Scrap Shops ~50

Wholesalers / Aggregators ~30

Material Type Informal Sector Rates Weight Volume Recycling 

Technology Seasonal variation Losses

PET (Kadkadi) 18 High Low Fibre None 5%

HDPE (Phuga) 14 High Low Pellets None 5%Hard Plastic (Kadak) 6 High Low Powered None 7 ‐ 10%

LD+Men 14 Low High Extrusion Low value in 

Monsoon ‐

Mixed Men×× ‐ Low High Extrusion No market in 

monsoon ‐

Plastic Cable 6 High Low Burnt None 7 ‐ 10%

PVC Pipes 6 High Low Powered None 7 ‐ 10%

MLP (Kurkure) ×× ‐ Low High Board Making ‐ 100%

Tetrapak ×× ‐ Low High Board Making ‐ 100%

Styrofoam ×× ‐ Low High ‐ ‐ 100%

Recyclablevs.Recycled

PlasticWaste‐Flow&LeakagesSource Collection Pre‐processing Recycling Other treatment

Municipal solid waste

Residental (households residential 

buildings,  …)

Commercial (officies, stores, businesses…)

Institutional (public  buildings, 

hospitals …)

SWaCH waste pickers

Itinerant waste pickers

Itinerant waste buyers

Small/medium scrap shops

Large scrap shops

Large wholesalers/aggregators

Small and medium plastic processors and recyclers

Large plastic processors and 

recyclers

RDF producers and waste‐to‐energy

facilities

Composting units

Landfill

Brick Kilns

Aquatic and terrestrial environment

Uncollected plastic  waste –littering, illegal dumping

Residues of plastic waste sorting –

illegal dumping

Residues of plastic waste treatment –

illegal dumping

Residues of plastic wastetreatment –

illegal dumping

Plastic waste and treatment residues  –

littering, illegal dumping

Informal and semi‐informal sector

Formal sector

Plastic Waste Recycled

Particulars Per Day (MT) Per Year (MT)

Plastic Waste Generated 166 60590

Handledby SWaCH Waste‐Pickers 87 31500

Recycled by Swach Waste‐pickers 43.5 16000

Recycled by other informal waste‐pickers (Estimated) 40 14600

Partially recyclable but not recycled (RDF / landfill) 49 17900

Non‐Recyclable (RDF / Landfill) 33.2 12118

Total Change in GHG Emissions (MTCO2E)**: ‐49507.77This is equivalent to…

Removing annual emissions from  10,423  Passenger Cars

CO2 Emmissions from Burning 2,06,11,991  Litres of Petrol

Carbon Sequestered by 12,83,056Tree seedlings grown for 10 

years

Environmental Impact of SWaCH Waste‐Pickers

Labour @ Minimum Wage Rates 74 Crores

Transportation / Diversion towards landfill 16 Crores

Total Savings to Corporation 90 Crores 

Economic Impact 

Characteristics of the Informal Sector

Pros IssuesLow Cost TechnologyEfficient Lack of RegulationDecentralized Environmental Compliance

Almost all types of plastic LeakagesMarket Driven Linkage with Formal MSWM

Employment & Livelihood Space deprived

GHG Reductions New types of PlasticSavings to Local Bodies

Drivers of Plastic Recycling

• Type of Plastic – polymer, combinations, single layer / multi layer• Quantity ‐ per capita generation by weight• Quality ‐ plastic grade & thickness• Quality ‐ cleanliness• Ease of collection & transportation ‐ weight vs. volume• Ease of identification• Market demand• Price• Regulatory restrictions• Availability and type of space• Presence of informal sector – waste‐pickers, small / medium traders, recyclers

Policy Recommendations

• Leverage existing systems. Regulation should be informed by potential impact on informal recycling sector

• Manufacturer level – labelling, restrictions, recyclability, minimum recycled content, Extended Producers Responsibility 

• Regulation –• Recyclable vs. Recycled• EPR• Recognition & Integration of the informal sector participants• Bans• Incentives• Taxation – GST• Developing markets for recycled goods – Public procurement• Recycling targets for local bodies

Policy Recommendations• Systems:

• Segregation at Source• Integration of informal sector – Waste‐pickers and Scrap Traders

• Recognition & Registration• Compliance – Fire safety, labour laws, environmental hazards• Incentives – Subsidized space, recycling markets, tax waiver, residue collection, technology assist, subsidized utilities

• Space for waste – Sorting, Trade, Recycling• Technology for data generation and tracking

• EPR:• Support and upgrade informal scrap traders and recyclers• Focus on low value / non‐recyclable materials• Technology for recycling• Low value plastics – minimum support price

Thank You