Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel jointly inaugurated the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on 15 September 2026. The four day forum, held from 15 to 18 September under the theme Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity, brought together more than 3,600 stakeholders from 62 countries. With this edition, India became the first South Asian nation to host the forum in its 10th edition.
What Is Circular Economy and How Does It Work?
A circular economy is an economic model that keeps products, materials and resources in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, refurbishment and recycling. It reduces fresh extraction, cuts waste and emissions, and returns recovered materials into production as valuable inputs for new growth.
The traditional linear economy follows a take, make and dispose path. Raw materials are extracted, turned into products, used once and then thrown away as waste. The circular economy breaks this one way flow. It designs products for long life, easy repair and safe disassembly, so parts and materials can re enter the economy again and again.
In practice, circularity works through a clear hierarchy of actions. Reduction of consumption comes first, followed by reuse of products, repair and refurbishment to extend life, and recycling of materials as the next option. Safe disposal is the last resort. This approach lowers pressure on land, water and minerals, reduces greenhouse gas emissions from extraction and dumping, and creates value from what was earlier treated as garbage.
| Linear Economy | Circular Economy |
|---|---|
| Extract fresh resources, manufacture, use and discard | Reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish and recycle in loops |
| Waste is the end of the product journey | Waste is the start of another resource cycle |
| High demand for virgin materials and landfill space | Lower demand for virgin materials and less landfill burden |
| Value is lost after single use | Value is retained for the longest possible time |
World Circular Economy Forum 2026 in Gandhinagar: Key Details
The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) is the leading global annual event for circular economy thinkers, makers and leaders. The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, which operates under the Parliament of Finland, launched the forum as an initiative of Finland. The first forum was held in Helsinki in June 2017 with about 1,600 participants from nearly 100 countries. Since then the forum has travelled to Japan, Canada, Rwanda, Belgium, the Netherlands and Brazil, before reaching India for its 10th edition in 2026.
The WCEF 2026 was held at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. The centre, spread over 34 acres and inspired by the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, has earlier hosted large national events including investor summits. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Sitra jointly organised the 2026 edition, with support from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Government of Finland, the Government of Gujarat and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).
| WCEF 2026 Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Venue | Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat |
| Dates | 15 to 18 September 2026 |
| Theme | Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity |
| Edition | 10th edition, first time in South Asia |
| Main programme | 4 plenaries and 16 parallel sessions on 15 and 16 September |
| Accelerator sessions | Around 80 sessions by global collaborators on 17 and 18 September |
| Expo | 135 national and international exhibitors |
| Participation | More than 3,600 stakeholders from 62 countries |
The main programme on 15 and 16 September was built around four tracks of people, business, governance and growth. Sessions covered the use of artificial intelligence, jobs and skills, finance, energy, sustainable products, industrial solutions, start ups and youth leadership. The expo showcased practical and investment ready solutions from start ups and companies. On 17 and 18 September, partners organised accelerator sessions in Gandhinagar, online and in other countries to connect forum ideas with daily work on the ground. On the sidelines, India also co chaired the meeting of the Board of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP) on 15 September in Gandhinagar.
Why Circular Economy Is Important for Sustainability and Prosperity
A circular economy is important because it allows growth without rapid depletion of natural resources. India has only about 2 percent of the world land area and 4 percent of fresh water resources, yet it must support a large population and expanding manufacturing. By reusing steel, plastic, electronic parts, construction debris and farm residue, the country can lower import dependence, cut pollution and reduce emissions while creating new business and jobs.
The economic stakes are large. The government has stated that India circular economy could reach a market value of more than $2 trillion by 2050 and create close to 10 million jobs. Global studies cited at earlier official forums have pointed to potential additional economic output of $4.5 trillion by 2030 worldwide from circular practices. At WCEF 2026, speakers stressed that finance, technology and private investment must move faster, especially to support small firms, recyclers and start ups in the Global South.
For India, circularity is also linked to daily behaviour. The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) programme, proposed by India at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 and launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on 20 October 2022, urges mindful use of water, energy, food and plastic. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at Gandhinagar that a circular economy cannot be built only at the recycling plant. It must begin in the marketplace, continue in homes and become a habit in daily life.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel linked the forum to the Indian idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is one family. He said development and environment are not opposite goals and pointed to local practice at the Somnath Temple, where temple offerings are recycled into useful products that support livelihoods. Representatives from Finland and the Netherlands shared their own national targets. Finland aims to keep resource use below 2015 levels by 2035, while the Netherlands aims to become fully circular by 2050. India also highlighted the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), launched during India G20 Presidency, as a platform for business cooperation.
Extended Producer Responsibility in India and the Role of CPCB
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) means that a producer remains responsible for the safe handling of its product till the end of its life. In simple terms, a company that makes or sells plastic packaging, electronic goods, batteries or tyres must ensure that the waste from those products is collected, recycled or disposed of in a safe way. Producers meet this duty by collecting back waste, buying recycling certificates from authorised recyclers, or paying environmental compensation if they fail to meet targets.
In India, EPR is enforced under waste laws made under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, amended on 16 February 2022, notified detailed EPR guidelines for plastic packaging. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, effective from 1 April 2023, created a new EPR system for electrical and electronic items, with registration, recycling targets and tradable EPR certificates. Similar EPR systems now apply to waste batteries, waste tyres and used oil. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) runs central online portals for registration, filing of returns, generation and transfer of certificates, and real time tracking of transactions.
The Central Pollution Control Board is a statutory body set up in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. It was later given powers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and provides technical support to the MoEFCC under the Environment (Protection) Act. The Board is headquartered in New Delhi and works with State Pollution Control Boards to check compliance through inspection and audit.
| Waste Stream | Core Rule | How EPR Works |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic packaging | Plastic Waste Management Rules with 2022 EPR guidelines | Producers, importers and brand owners register on the CPCB portal and buy certificates from registered waste processors |
| Electronic waste | E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 | Producers register, receive annual recycling targets and meet them by buying EPR certificates from registered recyclers |
| Batteries, tyres and used oil | Separate battery, tyre and oil waste rules | Mandatory collection and recycling targets with portal based reporting and compensation for shortfall |
At WCEF 2026, the Environment Minister reported that more than 83,000 producers and 4,802 recyclers were registered under various EPR systems (as of August 2026). Nearly 482.24 lakh metric tonnes of waste had been processed across regulated streams. These digital compliance systems mark a shift from paper based reporting to traceable, auditable recycling.
Two Publications Released at WCEF 2026
The dignitaries at the inaugural session released two publications titled Best Practices for Reuse of Treated Sewage and Driving Sustainability: A Guide to India Circular Economy and EPR Initiatives. Both documents were prepared to help officials, companies and local bodies apply circular ideas in daily decisions.
The guide on treated sewage focuses on using cleaned wastewater again instead of discharging it into rivers or drains. Treated sewage can be used for farming, gardening, construction, industrial cooling and recharge of groundwater after proper treatment to safe standards. For a water stressed country, reuse reduces demand on fresh rivers and wells, lowers pollution load and saves the cost of transporting fresh water over long distances. The publication collects working models from Indian cities and towns that show how treatment, quality checks and supply links can be managed safely.
The second guide explains India circular economy rules and EPR steps in simple form. It brings together the roles of producers, recyclers, urban bodies and pollution control agencies across plastic, electronic waste, batteries, tyres and other streams. The guide is expected to help new firms understand registration, targets, certificates and returns on CPCB portals, and to help policymakers compare Indian practice with global experience shared at the forum.
India’s Broader Circular Economy Push and the Way Forward
India circular economy work extends well beyond the Gandhinagar event. NITI Aayog, set up on 1 January 2015 and headquartered in New Delhi, formed 11 committees led by line ministries to prepare action plans for moving from a linear to a circular path. The focus areas include municipal solid and liquid waste, scrap metal, electronic waste, lithium ion batteries, solar panels, gypsum, toxic and hazardous waste, used oil, farm waste, tyres and end of life vehicles. The government has stated that action plans for 10 waste categories have been finalised and that regulatory systems for their rollout are under progress.
Recent regulatory steps support this shift. India banned selected single use plastic items through a notification in 2022. The MoEFCC notified the Eco Mark Rules on 26 September 2024 to help buyers identify environment friendly products and to push firms toward resource efficient design. Programmes such as the Swachh Bharat Mission for waste segregation, the vehicle scrapping policy with automated testing stations and registered scrapping facilities, and support for compressed biogas plants also feed into the same goal of waste to wealth.
The closing events of WCEF 2026 were scheduled to include a formal handover to the next host by Sitra. For India, the next steps are clear from the forum discussion. Circular finance must reach small recyclers, EPR data must improve enforcement, product design must reduce waste at the source, and cities must scale treated water reuse. If these links grow, the forum message that the best waste is the waste that is never created can move from slogan to standard practice.
Key Takeaways
- The 10th World Circular Economy Forum 2026 was held at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar from 15 to 18 September 2026, making India the first South Asian host.
- The forum theme was Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity and it drew more than 3,600 stakeholders from 62 countries with 135 exhibitors.
- The event was jointly organised by the Central Pollution Control Board, set up in 1974, and Finland Sitra, which launched the forum in Helsinki in 2017.
- Two publications released at the inauguration were Best Practices for Reuse of Treated Sewage and Driving Sustainability: A Guide to India Circular Economy and EPR Initiatives.
- India reported more than 83,000 producers and 4,802 recyclers under EPR systems, with 482.24 lakh metric tonnes of waste processed (as of August 2026).
- India projects its circular economy could exceed $2 trillion by 2050 and create nearly 10 million jobs.
