ANNOUNCEMENTS
Urban India faces a mounting solid waste crisis with increasing GHG emissions and resource loss due to reliance on landfilling. In response, this dissertation investigates the role of recycling in advancing circular economy goals, with an emphasis on quantifying and comparing the GHG emissions from recycling versus landfill practices. Using Goa as a case study, the research assesses the climate benefits of diverting waste from landfills through material recovery and resource efficiency. Findings indicate that landfills are major methane emitters, while recycling significantly reduces emissions and recirculates valuable materials into the economy. This shift not only supports low-carbon urban transitions but also enhances resource security. The dissertation also evaluates the systemic challenges impeding recycling in urban India—ranging from inadequate segregation and infrastructure gaps to informal sector exclusion and weak enforcement. Despite these barriers, the study identifies several opportunities to strengthen India’s urban waste systems, including stakeholder integration, decentralized treatment models, public participation, and data-driven governance. Ultimately, this work contributes empirical evidence from Goa to the broader sustainability discourse on municipal waste, reinforcing that recycling is not only a climate mitigation tool but also a pathway to a circular and resilient urban future.
Keywords: Municipal Solid Waste, Circular Economy, GHG Emissions, Recycling, Urban India.
