FICCI Hosts ‘Waste to Wealth’ Meet to Push Healthy Sustainable Growth

PARTHA ROY, KOLKATA: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India’s apex non-governmental trade association, organised an interactive session titled “Integrated Waste Management: Challenges and Way Forward” in Kolkata on 24th February 2026.

The session focused on developing new technologies for waste management and pollution control to create a healthy environment, society and biosphere, while ensuring a livable planet for future generations. It aimed not only to spread awareness but also to promote good health at individual and collective levels and maintain a balance between economic growth and biospheric health.

Experts highlighted various kinds of waste — solid waste, liquid waste, e-waste, agricultural waste, medical waste, plastic waste and nuclear waste and more — as highly harmful to human beings and the biosphere. They particularly drew attention to microplastics from plastic waste, which contaminate the human food chain through seafood, drinking water, air, salt and other daily items. Once inside the body, these tiny particles cause inflammation, oxidative stress and toxicity. They also seriously affect sexual and reproductive health by disrupting hormones, reducing sperm quality and quantity in men, damaging ovarian function and placenta in women, and increasing risks of infertility and developmental issues in future generations.

Prof. Dr. Kalyan Rudra, Chairman, West Bengal Pollution Control Board, told the gathering, “We are in the Anthropocene era.” He stressed the need to transform waste into resources and harness its economic value. Prof. Rudra concluded with a memorable line: “Waste is not waste unless we waste it.”

(The Anthropocene is the current geological epoch that began around 1950, in which human activities have significantly changed Earth’s climate, ecosystems and geology.)

Ms. Sonali Ghosal of FICCI West Bengal said waste must be turned into valuable resources through research and development.

Sanjay Gupta and Sudipto Basu of Dynovia Solutions LLP -Knowledge partner , showcased emerging technologies that convert different kinds of waste into useful products — ranging from fuel for thermal power plants and energy for cement manufacturing to materials for road construction , organic fertilizers , manufacturing of outdoor furniture and more.

Ms. Karishma Bist, Director, Resource Conservation & Management, FICCI, gave an insightful presentation on FICCI’s support to industries engaged in waste-to-wealth initiatives.

Speakers emphasised the importance of changing human behaviour and adopting healthy daily habits to manage waste effectively in this era of sustainability.
The interactive meet is viewed as a key step in converting waste challenges into economic opportunities while protecting human health and the planet’s biosphere.