Home - News - The Indian recycling industry organization has sought government intervention regarding the EU's proposal to ban the export of waste from India.
The Indian recycling industry organization has sought government intervention regarding the EU's proposal to ban the export of waste from India.
September 24, 2026
On September 18th, the European Commission proposed that, according to the regulations to come into effect in May 2027, India should be excluded from the EU's metal waste export.
The European Commission stated that metal waste requires stricter control as it may contain persistent and toxic heavy metals.
Industry estimates show that India is the world's major buyer of waste, with about a quarter of its metal waste imports coming from the EU.
According to data from the Indian Materials Recycling Association (MRAI), in the 2025/26 fiscal year, India imported approximately 20% of its aluminum waste, 22% of copper and copper alloy waste, 20% of lead waste, and 40% of zinc waste from the EU.
In a letter to the Federal Trade Department on Wednesday, MRAI stated: "These disruptions in the supply chain will directly affect Indian recyclers, especially small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), and may push up raw material costs and India's reliance on native metal resources."
MRAI argued in the letter that India has a broad environmental regulatory framework for managing metal recycling and processing facilities.
MRAI called the EU proposal "resource protectionism" and stated that waste is already of strategic importance to the European metal industry, while urging the implementation of zero-tariff waste imports under the expected India-EU trade agreement this year.
