MRAI’s 11th IMRC conference kicks off in Kolkata, outlining the recycling industry’s ‘Vision 2047’

Kolkata: Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) hosted the 11th IMRC conference and expo on the recycling industry from 23rd – 25th Jan 2024 at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Kolkata, India. MRAI’s 11th IMRC conference and Expo is Asia’s biggest event which was attended by more than 2200 delegates having 200 exhibitors from more than 35 countries participating in this event.The theme of the conference was focused on the ‘Recycling Industry Transition Towards Vision 2047.’

Hon’ble Shri. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of Steel shared a video message, which was shared at the inaugural panel. He shared, “As Per our Ministry’s Vision 2047 document, in the next 25 years, the percentage of scrap will be 50 percent along with the balance 50 percent as iron ore. With iron ore which will increase to 25 percent of scrap in the next five years. The Steel Ministry is committed to net zero target by the year 2070. Our steel scrap recycling policy enhances the availability of domestically generated scrap to reduce the consumption of coal in steelmaking. There is a positive trend to increase steel production through scrap and this is likely to increase to 35000 crores by 2030. We will strive to ensure a conducive environment for the growth of our industry. MRAI comprises of over 20 thousand SME and large enterprises, directly and indirectly employing over 25 lakh people, which makes your role all the more crucial and critical in the success of this mission. Various scraps and its byproducts generated during steel making can be effectively used for making steel and other applications like even cement manufacture, road construction and agriculture. Manufacturing Steel through scrap and other waste products is certainly less polluting and is a step towards our Green Steel initiative. Today, around 25 million tons of scrap is produced in the country and around 5 million tons is imported.

Mr. Sanjay Kumar, DG, DMEO, NITI Aayog while speaking at the inaugural panel shared, “MRAI is Keeping the flame of circularity alive with 20000 members.  We are on the path become a 5 triliion economy therefore we should target responsible growth with the help of circular economy”

This 3-day event was attended by key policymakers including Mr. Sanjay Kumar, DG, DMEO, NITI Aayog Ms. Farida Naik, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Shri Ved Prakash Mishra, Director – HSM, MoEF&CC, Shri Anand Kumar, Director, CPCB, Shri Vijay Yadav, Director, CPCB, Dr. Sandeep Chatterjee, Director, MeiTY, Shri Shivam Trivedi, Member Secretary, PCD-12, BIS, Shri Vishal Kumar Rana, Member Secretary, MTD-8, BIS, Paresh Goel, Director, MoRTH etc.

Mr. Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI shared, “India needs to have a strategy for enhancing scrap imports as more countries limit exports and domestic sourcing is limited. We suggest policymakers should allow zero duty on metal scrap until India has realised sufficient quantity and quality of scrap. The year 2024 will turn out to be the year in which India’s newly introduced reforms will propel it into a growth trajectory exceeding 8% which will cross the $4 trillion GDP mark. At the same time, pressing issues like Climate change, Environmental pollution, and dwindling natural resources are the major challenging issues that certainly require resource efficiency and promote the circular economy. Therefore, India needs to adopt sustainable production and consumption with the minimum content of recyclable material, effective waste management, and a scientific way of recycling.”

The 11th IMRC agenda focused on Recycling, Circular Economy, Sustainability, Net Zero Emissions, Raw Material Security, Zero Import Duty on Non-Ferrous Metal Scrap, EU Waste Shipment Law, CBAM, Standardization, Climate Change, and Technological Advancement. The conference included exclusive sessions on Plastic, Tyres, EPR Frameworks, Ferrous, Non-Ferrous, E-Waste, ELVs, and Non-Ferrous Demand-Supply Outlook with speakers from key government ministries, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders.

The 11th IMRC year’s conference serves as an accelerator of the cooperation, deepening connections between policymakers from the Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Mines, MoEF&CC, CPCB, MeiTY, BIS, Niti Aayog, MorTH, global recyclers, traders, scrapyard owners, technology players, academicians.

Amar Singh, Secretary General, MRAI shared, “India is taking a leadership role in promoting sustainability and circular economy to minimize the carbon emission and environment impacts. MRAI is at the forefront of promoting the sustainable and scientific way of recycling practices and adding inputs in policy-making to ensure a better future for the planet”.

“Imports today have a duty challenge where we tax our scrap imports between 2.5% to 5% on various categories of scrap there has been some exemption given, namely on the steel scrap but this is a temporary exemption that they have given. While we talk about going very low on carbon in terms of our metal production, and if scrap is a vital raw material then why are we still taxing scrap as a raw material, and nowhere in the world whether it is ASIAN, European or United States, nobody taxes the scrap because, it is the cleanest greenest raw material that one can and India should look in that direction that they exempt scrap from any kind of import duty” shared Mr. Dhawal Shah, Sr. Vice President, MRAI in his speech.

Speaking about global practices favouring the recycling industry Mr. Surendra Borad Patawari, a renowned named in the industry shared “Selling future credits, giving tax incentives, indigenous subsidies is going to be trend in times to come. India should become a part of this race. Clearly there is lot of demand in India and such tax arrangements will lead to more employment”

A Circular Economy Model Demonstration zone having the best innovation in the recycling sector was demonstrated by the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) from Ropar, Kanpur, Kharagpur, and Bombay.

The event also gathers support and participation from Key Global Recycling Associations like ISRI, BIR, EURIC, and BMR along with Domestic Associations like AIIFA, ANMA, ASMA, BME, BNFMA, ICDC, CGSIMA, CSRA, JEMA, SMAM