As recycling rates continue to drop across the world, many people are asking what comes next. In India, where cities and towns generate large amounts of daily waste, the role of MRFs in waste management is more important than ever.

An MRF, or Material Recovery Facility, is a key part of the waste system. It helps sort and separate dry waste like paper, plastic, metal, and glass. By doing this before waste goes to landfills, MRFs reduce pollution and recover materials that can still be reused.

Even though recycling efforts are slowing, a well-run MRF in waste management in India can still handle much of what ends up in our bins. Many Indian cities now rely on these plants to support their waste goals, especially where door-to-door waste segregation is still growing. MRFs also make it easier to run municipal solid waste processing plants, where dry and wet waste need to be handled differently.

Soft plastic is one of the hardest materials to deal with. It is light, often dirty, and rarely recycled properly. Learn more about how MRFs in India manage soft plastics in daily waste and what steps are being taken to improve recovery.

Without proper sorting, even good recycling programmes can fail. MRFs fill the gap. They catch what people miss, help recover value, and keep non-recyclables out of the wrong places.

Of course, this alone will not solve the larger issue. Global Recycling Rates Decline for Eighth Year: A Growing Wake-Up Call for the Planet looks at the bigger picture and why it is time to strengthen our entire waste system, from homes to landfills.

As the pressure builds, improving waste infrastructure with MRFs, biomining plants, and waste composting machines will be key. Each plays a part in handling waste better, even when recycling cannot keep up.