The Women in Recycling session at the International Material Recycling Conference (IMRC) 2026, was a pivotal point in the development of recycling and circular economy thinking in India. Organized under the umbrella of the Materials Recycling Association of India (MRAI), the session provided a platform for senior policymakers, international industry leaders, the next generation of professionals, and entrepreneurs to engage with the critical question of the role of women in determining the future of recycling.
Instead of treating the inclusion of women as a symbolic gesture or a representation of the industry, the session highlighted the structural, economic, and operational imperative of women’s engagement in the industry. Covering the gamut of policy changes, technology, safety and compliance, leadership and visibility, and transformation of the workforce, the session indicated the shift of recycling from an informal and marginal activity to a strategic foundation of industrial sustainability.
Context and Rationale
Prof. Bineesha Payattati, Consultant, Circular Economy, MRAI, began the session by laying down the analytical framework. Based on her experience spanning over three decades in the domains of sustainability, waste management, and policy advisory, she reiterated that gender-inclusive systems have always shown better safety performance, organizational discipline, and scalability.
She pointed to research and industry trends that show organizations with greater female participation have lower accident rates, more detail-oriented organizational performance, and a better compliance culture. In an era where the recycling industry is experiencing a boom in growth, with increasingly stringent regulations and scrutiny, these qualities are no longer desirable but the need of the hour.
Prof. Payattati also pointed to a systemic issue where approximately 70% of the female potential workforce in India is underutilized, while the recycling and related industries are growing at a steady pace. This creates a paradox where there is both an opportunity and a challenge. Gender inclusivity, with the right systemic support, is one of the quickest ways to achieve a leapfrogging effect in capacity building.
MRAI Initiatives and Institutional Support
The session also provided an opportunity to present the concrete actions of MRAI in this regard. Over the last year, the association has launched the Women in Recycling initiative, which has progressed from advocacy to capacity building and integration.
The key initiatives that were discussed include:
- The creation of a Women in Recycling division in MRAI
- A training program in which 24 women professionals have completed certified modules designed in collaboration with skill recognition institutions
- Government-recognized certification to improve employability and professional standing
- Mass industry and academia engagement, including an outreach program at IMRC 2026 with over 800 women students, to make recycling a career and entrepreneurship opportunity
These initiatives have highlighted that MRAI is committed to integrating gender inclusion into the sector’s institutional framework rather than making it a standalone initiative.
Global Perspectives on Leadership and Industry Perception
The conference highlighted a number of leading international representatives whose presentations helped situate India within an ongoing global context.
In a keynote presentation, Ms Susie Burrage OBE (President, BIR - Bureau International de Recyclage) also addressed the ongoing challenge of how the recycling market continues to be perceived as being outdated, informal and manual despite being at the heart of climate change mitigation, carbon neutrality and circular economic growth strategies.
Ms Burrage challenged to rewrite this historical narrative by presenting a contemporary view of recycling as a professionalised, globally interconnected and technologically advanced industry.
She commented on the growing participation of women representatives at international recycling gatherings over the last ten years, however there is still an imbalance in women holding leadership positions, hence the continuing need for women's advocacy in this area. In some cases, attendance at international recycling events exceeded almost 200 women, but overall women's representation at these events has averaged between 10 and 15% of total attendees, showing positive but still ongoing work.
Complementing the perspective of Ms. Robin Wiener, President, ReMA, who addressed how certification, compliance and governance frameworks can create a professionalized recycling industry and highlighted how independent standards like R2 and RIOS have raised the operational benchmarks of recyclers, improved both the environment and created safer work environments as well as facilitated trust throughout the supply chain.
Additionally, Ms. Wiener stated that compliance should not be viewed as a regulatory burden, but rather an opportunity for the recycling industry to create long-term sustainability and establish credibility for the industry, particularly as governments, OEMs and financial institutions continue to scrutinize the industry.
Technology as an Equalizer
Another key theme reiterated during the session was the ability of technology to continue to enable a growing list of participants in the recycling industry.
Ms. Aanya Gupta, representing PGI Group expressed how, through digitization and Artificial Intelligence, the recycling industry is transitioning from volume-based trade models to data-driven, profitability-driven decision-making in the recycling industry. Aanya highlighted how new AI-enhanced CRM systems allow recyclers to analyze their profit margins by materials, geographies, suppliers and customers. As such, recyclers no longer need to rely on their intuition or informal channels of communication.
These tools, she noted, not only improve commercial outcomes but also create leadership opportunities decoupled from physical labor, thereby expanding access for women across operational and strategic roles.
According to these tools, Ms. Karvi Agrawal of Gravita India Ltd. stated that she believes that technological advancements will also drive policy reform, which has occurred through implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) since 2022 to evolve recycling from an unstructured, informal system to an established sector that offers a high level of transparency, traceability and long-term financial sustainability.
As a result of the introduction of these new processes into the manufacturing industry, companies such as Gravita have now achieved structured growth, greater access to markets internationally, and the opportunity to develop a more formalised workforce. Consequently, combined with those new developments, there also exists the possibility for significantly increased participation of women in these roles.
Operations, Safety, and Inclusive Design
Operational inclusion emerged as a central discussion point, particularly in traditionally male-dominated manufacturing environments.
Ms. Hemal Gandhi, Executive Director at GRP Ltd., provided a detailed account of how intentional design choices can reshape workforce composition. GRP’s facilities now report:
- Approximately 60% women participation in certain raw-material processing yards
- Over 30% women in packaging and production support lines
- 15–18% women on shop floors engaged in core operations
According to Ms. Gandhi, these results were not merely coincidental; rather, they were directly related to purposeful action: like conveyor belts to ease manual labour; shading of workstations; appropriate personal protective gear for each gender; structured shifts; assistance with transportation; and a commitment to safety, which has all contributed positively to the outcomes achieved for this group. She also emphasised how important it is for leaders to be empathetic by listening to people who experience challenges and offering them tangible solutions that address their needs. She believes that by implementing small operational modifications, subsequently will produce a positive impact on retention rates, productivity levels and employee morale.
Perspectives from Core Manufacturing and Metals
Representatives from the steel and metals recycling industries stressed the sector's emerging significance in terms of strategic growth opportunity.
Ms. Vedsi Arya, of Utkarsh TMT Group, provided an overview of recycling and how it fits within India's broader industrial growth trend; particularly as it relates to steel consumption in India, which has only just surpassed 100 kg/person, when the global average is around 230 kg/person. As a result, she described the potential for continued growth within the recycling sector in India.
To really maximize this opportunity for the recycling industry, she suggested that cost reduction, energy conservation, and coordination of processes for scalability must be concentrated areas for focus. Through this narrowed focus plus the potential for future growth through strategic scalability, she indicated that the capacity for future-ready manufacturing would be defined.
Ms. Nanika Chadha, of VK Metcast Pvt. Ltd., spoke about the transformations that have occurred to family-owned recycling businesses over several generations. Traditionally, these businesses focused on recycled zinc; however, in recent years, many have evolved from being relegated to a back end role in manufacturing to now being viewed as critical to the continued resilience of the manufacturing sector through reduced imports and increased employment.
In addition, Ms. Chadha stressed the need for skill development for workers, workplace safety, and the importance of providing consistent service to customers. Furthermore, she mentioned the increasing significance of providing strong marketing, communications and digital visibility to attract younger generations into jobs within the recycling industry.
Emerging Streams and Entrepreneurial Innovation
The challenges and opportunities related to the recycling of used cooking oil (UCO) were discussed by Ms. Juveria Bhavnagarwala, Founder of Oilenza Trading LLC, during her presentation at the Global Summit for UCO Recycling & Reuse. The biggest obstacle faced by the growing recycling sector for UCO, according to Ms. Bhavnagarwala, is the absence of structured, compliant and trustworthy collection systems. While availability of feedstock is certainly important to the success of UCO recycling, the irregularity of pick-ups, the inconsistent quality of the oil collected, and lack of proper documentation create an uncertainty that severely impacts the confidence of investors in the downstream value chain, leading to reduced investment and growth in the market. Ms. Bhavnagarwala stated that the key areas where there is great potential for innovation in recycling UCO are not necessarily related to advancements in technology; rather, the real opportunity lies in having disciplined, transparent, and repeatable systems.
Leadership, Visibility, and the Role Model Effect
In the last part of this conference, a panel of senior executives and leaders discussed the importance of increasing the number of female leaders in the oil and gas industry. Ms. Wiener and Ms. Burrage both expressed that having women in visible leadership positions is a key component to increasing opportunities for women in the oil and gas sector. By placing women in decision-making positions, they create a greater level of confidence and aspiration for women who wish to be leaders.
Others on the panel, including several company presidents, highlighted the need for both competence and the experience gained on the shop floor as essential for credibility. Women leaders with operational, material, safety, and regulatory knowledge will be able to navigate through any type of pushback they encounter in a male-dominated environment and to assert their authority.
Policy, Education, and the Road Ahead
According to Prof. Payattati, gender inclusion must be viewed within the larger social and political context. For example, technology was mandated during the drafting of policies for the introduction of conveyor systems and mechanization; therefore, the removal of barriers to the physical presence of women allowed for increased participation. Furthermore, there has been an emergence of dialogue about PPE that is gender-sensitive, and AI data roles and technologies are now being considered levelers in the workplace. Prof. Payattati expressed the importance of education/outreach and structured leadership development to maintain the momentum for women in recycling.
Conclusion
The Women in Recycling panel at IMRC 2026 has validated that gender inclusion in recycling is no longer an "outsider" topic. It is at the centre of successful policy implementation, advances in technology, operational excellence, and the credibility of the recycling industry.
As recycling will be a major driver of India's manufacturing growth and meeting global sustainability objectives, empowering women along the value chain is both economically viable and strategic necessity. The panel came to the conclusion that the future of recycling is in progress and women will be a major contributor to the realization of this future.
(IRuniverse Rohini Basunde)
