The Context: A Rising Tide of Plastic Waste in the Mobility and Electronics Sectors
Plastics used in end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) and electronic waste (e-waste) represent both a growing environmental challenge and a strategic opportunity for sustainable development in Asia. These two sectors alone contribute a significant share of high-value plastic waste: plastics account for 15–25% of a vehicle’s material composition and around 20% of the total in e-waste. Yet, recycling rates for these plastics remain critically low.
The reasons are multi-faceted. The fragmentation of value chains, limited collaboration across sectors, and unclear regulatory frameworks have led to an environment where formal recycling is often economically unviable. This gap has allowed informal practices with severe human health and environmental consequences to persist, particularly in high-growth countries such as India and China.
Driving the Transition: A Regional Collaboration
To address these pressing issues, the project “Circular Pathways for High-Value Plastics from End-of-Life Vehicles/Electronics in China and India,” supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ India and GIZ China in partnership with private-sector partners, is working to drive the transition through development of circular value chains for recycled material.
The initiative aims to promote the development of sustainable, circular value chains for plastics used in the automotive and electronics sectors. Through closed-loop pilot initiatives, capacity-building activities, and the promotion of partnerships across the value chain, the project supports policy innovation and industrial collaboration tailored to the contexts of India and China.
Regional Perspectives: India and China
In India, the existing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for e-waste focuses heavily on metals recovery and refurbishment, while leaving plastics recycling largely unaddressed. As a result, high-value plastic materials from electronics are frequently downcycled or discarded, representing both a missed economic opportunity and a waste of valuable resources.
In China, national policy targets aim to improve ELV recycling rates, increase the volume and quality of secondary materials, and boost remanufacturing. However, despite progress, the complexity of plastics recovery—particularly in separating, sorting, and reintegrating these materials into new products—remains a significant bottleneck.
Purpose and Goals
The session aims to discuss and identify strategies for plastic recycling approaches, innovative technological solutions for dismantling, sorting, and recycling high-value plastics, and promote cross-regional learning by sharing best practices and policy insights.
Topics for Discussion
How can cross-sector partnerships enhance material recovery across fragmented value chains?
Can secondary plastics become a scalable and safe feedstock for manufacturing in automotive and electronics sectors?
- What lessons and best practices can be shared between India, China, and other regions to strengthen regional collaboration?
With plastic waste volumes rising exponentially, the question is urgent: How can we transform high-value plastic waste from a growing liability into a driver of circular innovation?
About the Session
This session is organised by GIZ China & GIZ India. Drawing on the regional expertise and practical experience of both country offices, the panel brings together stakeholders from policy, industry, and research to discuss actionable strategies for scaling up plastics circularity in the automotive and electronics sectors.
Panelists:
Reva Prakash, Environmental Policy & Resources Efficiency Advisor, GIZ – India
Jingyue Hou, Project Director, GIZ China
Rachna Arora, Director, Climate Change & Circular Economy GIZ – India
Join us at WRF25 to discover how public-private cooperation, innovative recycling strategies, and cross-regional learning can drive sustainable progress in the automotive and electronics sectors.