TLDR: India’s largest recycling-focused platforms, Plastics Recycling Show (PRS) India and the debut Bharat Recycling Show (BRS) 2025, opened in Mumbai, featuring 150 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors. The event showcases recycling technologies, solutions, and innovations, fostering dialogue among industry leaders, policymakers, and investors to advance India’s circular and sustainable industrial future.
Followed by the successful launch in 2024, Plastics Recycling Show (PRS) India – along with the debut edition of Bharat Recycling Show (BRS) 2025 – commenced at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai. Organised by Media Fusion and Crain Communications as the country’s largest recycling-focused platforms, the shows together featured 150 exhibitors, 8,000 visitors, and participants from over 10 countries, offering a comprehensive 360-degree showcase of recycling technologies, solutions, and innovations.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by distinguished dignitaries including Dr. Jairaj Phatak, Director General – All India Institute of Local Self Government; Mr. Siddhesh Kadam, Chairman – Maharashtra Pollution Control Board; Mr. Sanjay Mehta, President – Material Recycling Association of India; Mr. Sandeep Vakharia, Hon. Secretary – Bombay Non-Ferrous Metals Association; and Mr. Sushil Kothari, President – Bombay Metal Exchange; Mr. Deepak Rungta , Director, Association PET Recycling (Bharat); Mr. Sameer Joshi Vice Chairman, Governing Council of Indian Plastics Institute; Mr. Ankit Jain, Director, Ribotl; Mr. Prabhakar Milavarapu, Chief marketing Officer, Sri Chakra; Mr. Pawandeep Singh, Vice President – Business Development & Customer Success, Attero and Mr. Sandeep Singh, CEO, Ishitva Robotics Systems. Their presence highlighted the crucial collaboration between government bodies, industry leaders, and sustainability advocates in advancing India’s recycling ecosystem.
Spanning three days, the event serves as a key meeting point for recyclers, technology innovators, manufacturers, policymakers, and investors to explore emerging trends, policy frameworks, and business models driving India’s transition to a circular and sustainable industrial future.
Mr. Siddhesh Kadam, Chairman, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, said “Maharashtra has been at the forefront of environmental leadership, becoming the first state in India to implement a ban on single use plastics. Recycling represents the future and forms the foundation of a truly circular economy. The visible effects of climate change, from shifting rainfall patterns to shorter monsoons and rising temperatures, highlight the urgency for sustainable action. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, in partnership with the state and central governments, is developing incubation hubs to support youth led startups in recycling and resource management. Such initiatives and platforms not only showcase India’s progress in plastic recycling but also encourage innovation, turning waste into a valuable resource and driving a cleaner, more resilient future, turning garbage into the next gold.”
Mr. Ajit Salvi, Director, Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies (RCUES), AIILSG Mumbai said “The recycling industry holds immense potential to become a key pillar of India’s economy. As the nation envisions Viksit Bharat 2047, this vision cannot be realized without the active participation and advancement of the recycling sector. The industry must be acknowledged as an essential part of India’s growth journey, as sustainable development depends on it. While the second edition of the PRS Show may be modest in scale, it embodies strong ambitions and optimism for the future.”
Mr. Sanjay Mehta, President, Material Recycling Association of India, emphasized , “MRAI has been working with the central government for the past 15 years on policy making and advocacy across sectors including e-waste, tyres, plastics, oil, batteries, and metals. While India has made significant progress in recycling areas such as e-waste, tyres, and metals, the plastic industry continues to face major challenges and requires stronger advocacy. Our foremost agenda is to compile accurate and comprehensive data on plastic scrap recycling in India, including the quantities collected, sent to landfills, and effectively recycled. The association aims to ensure that within the next one to one and a half years, this verified data will be made available to the public and the Government of India to help organize and strengthen the plastic recycling sector.”
Mr. B K Soni, Chairman and Managing Director, Eco Recycling, said “The recycling industry in India faces one primary challenge, the availability of raw materials for formal recycling. While the business is inherently viable, profitable, and sustainable, its growth depends on consistent material supply, effective policy implementation, and regulatory clarity. With the right framework, India’s recycling sector can scale rapidly as technologies for recovery of precious materials such as gold, silver, palladium, lithium, and cobalt are already accessible globally. Today, only about 5% of e-waste is being recycled in India, supported by an estimated ₹2,500 crore of investment. To achieve full-scale recycling, the sector would require close to ₹50,000 crore (roughly USD 6 billion) which presents an enormous investment opportunity. The sector’s future growth is directly proportional to the consumption and waste generation patterns, making recycling not only an environmental necessity but also a lucrative business proposition. Ultimately, progress lies in citizen participation initiatives like the #OneBillionCharger campaign aim to build this awareness by urging individuals to contribute even the smallest electronic devices for responsible recycling, helping bridge the material gap that limits the industry’s full potential.”
Mr. Sumit Kumar, Principal Commissioner, Customs & CGST, Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, CBIC said, “The Government of India, through the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), is deeply committed to engaging directly with industry stakeholders, trade associations, and participants in the business ecosystem. The recent introduction of GST-2 and a series of customs reforms reflect the government’s continued efforts to simplify compliance and resolve long-standing industry challenges. Taxpayer education and grievance redressal remain our key priorities as we work closely with the trade community to provide clarity on new laws, address field-level and policy-level issues, and enhance industry-government collaboration. Events like this play a vital role in strengthening communication, improving transparency, and fostering mutual growth.”
Mr. Taher Patrawala, Managing Director of Media Fusion, said, “With sustainability and circular economy at the forefront, initiatives like the Bharat Recycling Show (BRS) this year reinforce our commitment to creating a strong platform for dialogue, innovation, and action in India’s recycling ecosystem. The waste plastic recycling market continues to grow steadily, supported by the increasing use of recycled materials across packaging, automotive, textile, and construction sectors. Urban infrastructure investments and public–private partnerships are further boosting India’s recycling capacity — already at over 2,447 plants as of 2024. As technologies in mechanical and chemical recycling evolve, the inaugural BRS alongside the second edition of PRS India is driving meaningful collaborations that foster efficiency, value creation, and long-term sustainability.”
Matthew Barber, Global Events Director, Crain Communications, said, “The collaboration between PRS India and the Bharat Recycling Show highlights a growing global momentum towards sustainable production and responsible waste management. With recycling and resource recovery emerging as pivotal elements of industrial transformation, the need for innovative technologies, material efficiency, and cross-sector partnerships has become more critical than ever. Through these co-located platforms, we aim to facilitate meaningful dialogue and exchange between international experts and Indian stakeholders, paving the way fo a stronger circular economy framework in the years to come.”
In India’s, every discarded commodity from plastics and paper to metals and e-waste represents both a resource and a responsibility: for example, the plastics sector already processes over 10 million tons of waste annually, the paper fibre loop uses roughly 45 % recycled input, and metals like zinc have recycling rates as low as 10 %, underscoring that our circular-potential stays only partly tapped. These sectors are all witnessing a transformative shift driven by sustainable practices, technological innovation, and progressive policy frameworks.
PRSI & BRS has garnered support from leading industry associations, including the India Lead Zinc Development Association (ILZDA), Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), Bombay Non-ferrous Association of India, Bureau of Middle East Recycling (BMR), and Mumbai Trading & Metals (MTLEXS), Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI), NETRA, BNMA, BMR, International Copper Association of India, Thane Municipal Corporation, Theistic Business Consultants as the Strategic Partner, and We Park as the Startup Partner and many more, reinforcing its significance as a key platform for the recycling sector. The exhibition featured renowned recycling technology providers, including Power Hydrotech, Apex Knives, Fornnax Technology, Hysan Balers, Advance Hydrautech, Safar Ecopet and many more industry leaders, showcasing state-of-the-art recycling technologies and solutions tailored for the Indian market.
Together, BRS and PRS India 2025 reinforce India’s growing leadership in recycling, resource recovery, and circular economy solutions creating a powerful platform for innovation, collaboration, and responsible growth.
