The Andhra Pradesh government will soon roll out a new circular economy policy to strengthen waste management. In a review meeting held in Amaravati on Tuesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to finalise and bring out within two months a new policy on the circular economy. 

The State Government will set up three circular economy parks in different regions of the State and a few proposals from the Material Recycling Association of India in this regard were also reviewed. In the first phase, a park will be set up on 400 acres in Visakhapatnam, designed to meet international standards.

It is also planning to deploy modern machinery in waste-to-energy plants. The Chief Minister has directed the officials to prepare an action plan on waste segregation and recycling to be submitted within 90 days.

Focus sectors

A comprehensive plan is being drawn up under the circular economy framework on sectors including municipal waste, vehicles, lithium batteries, gypsum, tyres, rubber, electronics, agriculture, industry, and aqua waste, mining, handlooms, and animal husbandry.

Plastic-free cities

By October 2 this year, single-use plastics would be completely banned in four major cities of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Rajahmundry, along with 17 other municipal corporations. Further, 57 Reduce-Reuse-Recycle centers are to be established across 87 urban locations. The government will also set up 52 waste clusters covering urban and panchayat areas. 

Every year, Andhra Pradesh generates 36,588 tonnes of battery and automotive waste, 61,996 tonnes of plastic and PET bottle waste, 23,928 litres of engine and hydraulic oil waste and 59,654 tonnes of tyre and rubber waste. Agriculture contributes over 4 million tonnes of waste annually, while the livestock, aqua, and poultry sectors together generate 34.7 million tonnes.  In rural areas, 1,329 tonnes of waste are generated daily from 8.8 million households. 

Supply of materials

Effective implementation of the circular economy model in Andhra Pradesh could boost the State’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) by an estimated ₹15,000 crore annually. Additionally, it would allow the supply of materials worth ₹10,000 crore to the manufacturing sector. 

“The value addition is expected to generate ₹3,000 crore annually in GST revenue. The initiative could also create direct employment for 100,000 people and support 10,000 micro-entrepreneurs, indirectly providing livelihoods to over 1 million individuals. Environmental benefits include reduced carbon emissions and significant control over land, water, and air pollution,’‘ the Andhra Pradesh government said in a release. 

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Published on June 17, 2025