Re-CirculateTM : an innovative digital infrastructure to connect brands & audited recyclers for e-waste & associated plastic waste management.

To foster transparency, enable resource recovery and policy compliance.

Website: https://e-wasteexchange.com/

Founded date: 2018

Country HQ: India

Business model:  B2B

Industry: waste management

Applications: e-waste, plastics

Funding stage:  Looking for seed funding

Team: 8

Founders: Shalini Sharma & Shiwaani V.

YOUR JOURNEY TO FOUNDING

I have a doctorate in environmental management and policy, and I had the opportunity to study at Oxford University, Humboldt University and Columbia University. That gave me a perspective about the international scenario of waste management, environmental management and sustainability. I worked with Governments and India’s largest Industry Association (CII) on projects on climate change, electronic waste management and plastic waste management. In 2017, I got the opportunity to develop the electronic waste management policy for the State Government of Telangana, and I also contributed to the amendments in the national e-waste management policy. I understood the gaps and issues in the sector and realised that a digital infrastructure is required for electronic waste management, as well as for the policy compliance assessment.

 THE FOUNDING MOMENT

As an environmental and sustainability professional, I always wanted to do something that could impact businesses and society at large. While working on the policy project for the State Government, I observed that there was a huge gap between the waste management infrastructure and the real investment that was going into waste management. When I came back from Oxford in 2014, I was trying to give my electronic waste for recycling, but there was no recycler willing to come and pick up the electronic waste for responsible recycling.  I checked the e-waste disposal process with my office but they were having lengthy, time & effort intensive processes. Then, I thought that if I was facing this problem, there could have been many others aware of their data protection and the environmental hazard related to electronic waste. So, why don’t we provide them with direct access to the recyclers?

“There was a huge gap between the waste management infrastructure and the real investment that was going into waste management”

As much as Uber is the largest transportation company without owning a single car, and AirBnb one of the biggest hospitality platforms without owning a single apartment, we could be the biggest recycler without having a recycling unit. Therefore, in February 2018, we launched a digital platform, Sanshodhan: E-waste Exchange as an open access platform that could be used by anyone, inside and outside cities.

What was your first pilot with the platform?

We started with a pilot in the city of Hyderabad, which has more than 140 national and international companies in the IT sector and more than 10 million inhabitants. It was a perfect location for us to do the pilot and refine our model further. In the past two years, we have reached a good level in terms of easing out lives and fostering transparency, and in terms of making the model stronger.  

We initiated it as a digital infrastructure for businesses and citizens, but as we kept researching and exploring, we innovated the circular economy model for the sector with Re-CirculateTM (trademark). That’s the point in time when we applied to the World Economic Forum for The Circulars 2019 an—after achieving the award— we are recognised globally for the unique circular economy model for e-waste and associated plastic management sector.

THE INNOVATION

We are focusing on a blockchain based circular economy model, named Re-Circulate. When we present the model to corporates/ MNCs they showcase interest but most of them are not willing to make any expenditure to strengthen their waste disposal & management system. Mostly, the companies float the tender and give the waste to the one with the highest bid, without thinking about child labour or loss of natural resources (in electronic waste) or even their recurring expenditure on manpower, time, efforts and investment on tenders and bids.

“We are focusing on a blockchain based circular economy model, named ‘Re-Circulate’”

This is a humongous challenge we face in the implementation of the circular economy model for waste management for resource recovery,  and probably the market in India might not be ready yet for investments in the circular economy. 

Due to COVID19, we are now providing only essential services, thus focusing on supporting the electronic and electrical producers to meet extended producer responsibility (EPR) Compliance. We are unique for this segment, because we provide a tech-based system for electronic & electrical producers to ease out EPR compliance. This system is named as Digital-PRO system which we created in 2018 and it is published by GIZ-TERI-CII-Adelphi in EU-Resource Efficiency India project report. 

How does the business model work? 

Recyclers pay a minimal fee for the platform because it gives them raw materials for their recycling unit. Producers who need services for EPR policy compliance pay for the services. And for citizens and SMEs it’s an open access platform and free services are provided to these segments.

VALUE IN THE CIRCULAR TRANSITION

So far we have enabled the recovery of about 6 thousand kilograms of metals/ critical materials and plastics to flow back into the economy. From this amount of electronic waste, we prevented more than 240 thousand kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions. 

“We have enabled the recovery of about 6 thousand kgs of metals, critical materials and plastics”

We guided recyclers to ensure zero child labour and end-to-end recycling. In addition, we are conducting large scale awareness programmes  for schools, colleges, local associations and businesses that enabled us to  have reach in seven states in India. We signed an agreement with the  State Government of Telangana,  and various municipalities and businesses keen to practice transparency for EPR compliance and enhance their social- environmental - economic impact.

FUTURE PLANS

We are confident that responsible businesses will own a circular economy model not only for e-waste or plastics but to truly turn their businesses circular, by leveraging on high-value results that they can achieve thorough Re-Circulate. Given that electronic waste generation is a permanent issue, this solution is required.  We planned to expand in 20 cities by 2020. Due to COVID-19, this will probably be delayed, but we are using this time to set the direction for the future.

From our experience in the last years with e-waste management scenario in India, we will be more involved in advisory and consultancy projects. Last month, for instance, we finished a few projects with the United Nations, focussing on developing countries.

We are open to collaborate and apply our tech-based circular economy model Re-Circulate for plastics, textiles, automobiles and more sectors. Given that our innovation is capable of serving these sectors and dealing with their crucial raw materials,, we are working further to add value to these industry segments. 

Are you currently looking for investments?

Yes, we are looking for a round in seed funding to develop the platform further, and make it a robust, automated system. This will ease out expansion. We started looking for investors in January 2020, but in India e-waste management sector is still not looked up to for investment. Since March 2020, due to Covid, the investment in other sectors has also slowed down.

VISION FOR THE DECADE OF ACTION

Our ultimate goal is to enable digitisation for sustainable development. We believe that the technology is the future because tech & data backed systems enable transparency and sustainable development. Digitalisation of each and every segment is catching up fast. Thus, tech-based circular economy model shall emerge as a key driver for responsible businesses to enhance resource recovery and to reduce the negative social, environmental, and economic impact of their industry operations.

“Our ultimate goal is to enable digitalisation for sustainable development”

Compared to the investments that businesses or governments are currently making for their e-waste management, with our innovation they will be able to save more than 40% on their current investment. In addition, we provide unique value in terms of consistency, reliability and transparency. We plug in the loopholes by enabling responsible recycling and resource recovery, and this is far greater value addition than the current (tender) process that is being followed by business and Governments across India and many other developing/ fast developing economies. 

June 2020

A conversation between Shalini Sharma & Emanuele Di Francesco