- Deputy Chief Minister inaugurates India’s flagship recycling and circular economy summit in Gandhinagar
- GREENS 2026 brings together 100+ industry leaders, 70+ experts and stakeholders from 14 sectors to redefine waste as a strategic resource
- GCCI and SALT Alliances-led platform emerges as a national forum for policy, innovation and sustainable industrial transformation
- Carbon-neutral, zero-waste-to-landfill event showcases the future of recycling, resource efficiency and green growth
NE ENVIRONMENT BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, JUNE 4
With a strong call to integrate sustainability into India’s growth trajectory, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi virtually inaugurated GREENS 2026 – Global Recycling Expo and Summit at the Helipad Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, positioning Gujarat at the forefront of the nation’s circular economy movement.
Co-organised by SALT Alliances and the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), GREENS 2026 is being held from June 4 to 6 as India’s premier platform dedicated to recycling, waste-to-resource transformation and circular economy innovation. The event is supported by iNDEXTb as Industry Partner, Deloitte India as Knowledge Partner and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) as Knowledge Support Partner.
The inaugural session was attended by Shekharbhai Patel, CREDAI National President and Managing Director & CEO of Ganesh Housing, who graced the occasion as Guest of Honour.
Recognised as an official Side Event of the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026, GREENS 2026 has brought together more than 100 industry leaders, over 70 speakers and exhibitors from 14 sectors, creating one of the largest assemblies of recycling, sustainability and resource-management stakeholders in the country.
Delivering the keynote address, Harsh Sanghavi said, “India generates at least 150 million metric tonnes of waste every year, and as we proceed to become a net-zero economy, platforms such as Greens 2026 are important for deliberation by experts and industry stakeholders for issues like recycling and waste management. These are not just environment-related issues but are directly linked with our country’s development and progress.”
The summit features extensive discussions on critical sectors including solid waste management, plastic recycling, metal recycling, e-waste and battery recycling, rubber and ELT recycling, construction and demolition waste management, wastewater treatment and ZLD, solar waste management, waste-to-energy, carbon markets, end-of-life vehicles (ELV), artificial intelligence in recycling and sustainable entrepreneurship.
Speaking about the vision behind the initiative, Ketan Prajapati, Director, SALT Alliances, said, “India’s growth story can no longer be built on a linear model of consumption and disposal. The circular economy is no longer a niche conversation; it is rather central to the future of manufacturing and economic growth. With GREENS 2026, our aim is to create a collaborative platform that brings together industry, policymakers and innovators for a dialogue on recycling, waste management and circular economy solutions.”
Industry leaders, policymakers and sustainability experts participating in the summit include Sandeep Patel of NEPRA, Sanjay Mehta of MRAI, Sumit Issar of Mahindra Accelo, Chetan Joshi of the Tyre and Rubber Recyclers Association of India, Mani Vajipey of Banyan Nation, Anupam Jalote of GMDC and ICEM, and impact investor Nagaraja Prakasam, among others.
In his opening remarks, Sandeep Engineer, President, GCCI and Chairman & Managing Director of Astral Limited, stressed the need to align industrial expansion with environmental responsibility.
He said, “India’s industrial growth must now be aligned with sustainability, innovation and efficient resource utilisation. This is the only way forward. GREENS 2026 provides a much-needed platform for industry leaders and policymakers to collectively work towards that vision of bringing about a long-term, sustainable transformation.”
Setting a benchmark for responsible event management, GREENS 2026 is being conducted as a carbon-neutral and zero-waste-to-landfill event, reflecting the very principles it seeks to promote. A dedicated Waste-to-Art installation zone featuring sculptures created entirely from recovered industrial waste has become a major attraction, visually reinforcing the summit’s central message that waste is not merely a disposal challenge but a valuable resource waiting to be reintegrated into the economy.
As the first edition of what is envisioned as India’s permanent annual platform for recycling and circular economy transformation, GREENS 2026 aims to accelerate the country’s transition towards resource efficiency, environmental stewardship and sustainable industrial growth.
