Lok Sabha Question No. 4273 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Waste to Wealth Technologies
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4273 (ANSWERED ON 26.03.2025)

## WASTE TO WEALTH TECHNOLOGIES

4273.  Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat:

## Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has taken steps to encourage research and development of Waste to Wealth  Technologies  to  value  add  the  concept  of Circular Economy; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a)&(b) Yes,  Sir.  Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  has implemented a mission mode project on 'Waste to Wealth: Comprehensive Solutions Towards Circular Economy and Sustainability' in FY 2023-24 with a budget of Rs.6662.772 lakh for the  duration  of  three  years.  The  project  aims  to  address  a  broad spectrum of industrial and critical waste management challenges, encompassing  fossil  fuel  waste,  biotic  waste,  metallic  and  nonmetallic  waste,  and  electronic  waste.  It  seeks  to  tackle  complex waste  management  issues  through  innovative  approaches  and transform waste into valuable resources through industry collaboration. This mission-mode initiative is structured into three primary work packages: 'Value Addition and Utilization of Industrial Waste,' 'Recycling of E-Waste and Extraction of Valuable Materials,' and 'Conversion of Biomass and Fossil Fuel Waste into Valuables and Energy.'  The  research  activities  within  this  mission  encompass distinct technology project components,

and  19  CSIR  laboratories  are  involved  in  the  execution  of  the mission's objectives.

Under this mission, waste from various sectors has been collected, and the development of processes and technologies is progressing at different stages. Significant achievements under the mission are as under:

-  Utilization  of  Fired  Stoneware  Crockery  Waste  in  Stoneware Products:  A  process  has  been  developed  to  incorporate  fired stoneware crockery waste into stoneware products. A total of 100  samples,  tailored  to  a  specific  composition,  have  been successfully produced at an industrial scale.
-  Recycling of Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste into Glass Foam Bricks:  Glass  foam  bricks,  measuring  235x110x70  mm, have  been  successfully  produced  from  recycled  C&D  waste. These bricks exhibit a compressive strength of approximately 4 MPa, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials.
-  Refractory Waste Recycling for High-Temperature Applications: A prototype has been developed for utilizing recycled refractory materials  in  high-temperature  applications.  The  composition incorporates  up  to  40%  recycled  refractory  content,  showing promising results in terms of performance and sustainability.
-  Mechanical Separator for Efficient Solar PV Module Disassembly: A robust mechanical separator has been designed and  developed  to  facilitate  the  efficient  disassembly  of  solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, supporting enhanced recycling and sustainability in the solar energy sector.
-  Organic  Acid-Based  Method  for  Extracting  and  Converting Orange Peel Flavonoids and Pectin: A novel organic acid-based method  has  been  developed  at  the  laboratory  scale  for  the simultaneous extraction of flavonoids and pectin from orange peel,  followed  by  bio-nano  conversion,  offering  potential  for value-added products in food and pharmaceuticals.
-  Bulk Utilization of Fly Ash for Synthetic Aggregate Production: A technology has been established for the bulk utilization of fly ash in the production of synthetic fine and coarse aggregates, which can replace conventional natural aggregates in construction, promoting sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of traditional aggregate production.

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