India recently enforced a ban on single-use plastic items across the country. This move will have a ripple effect across several industries, including FMCG. Experts, however, view this as a bold step towards waste management in the country. Of this, an impeding concern is over renewable energy waste.

Solar wastes are generated by discarded solar panels. India is planning to meet its 500 GW target of renewable energy by 2030. Estimates reveal solar industry alone could generate over 34,600 tonnes of cumulative waste by 2030.

Bharati Chaturvedi, Founder and Director of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, talks about how India is managing its waste currently, with a focus on solar waste. She goes on to share what can be done to tackle this growing quantum of energy and industrial waste. A cross-cutting environmental and public policy expert, Bharati works closely with government agencies to improve waste governance in India.