Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia have continued a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and held annual summits.

The two leaders have met in person in high-profile visits, including Putin’s December visit to India and Modi’s state visits to Russia, reflecting ongoing personal engagement.

Officials from both countries have emphasized cooperation across energy, security, trade, investment, health, and high technology and discussed mechanisms such as a Two-plus-Two dialogue.

India remains heavily dependent on Russian military technology, maintenance, hardware procurement and spares for platforms including nuclear submarines, warships, nuclear reactors, space programmes, BrahMos, and combat aircraft.

India has sought greater self-reliance and diversified defence procurement, and Russian share of India's defence imports has declined from roughly 65 percent to about 49 percent over the past decade.

Purchases of US military equipment have risen, with India buying about $3.4 billion worth of US arms in 2020 as an indicator of this trend.

At the same time, significant Russia-India defence deals have continued, including the 2018 S-400 contract and a long-pending plan for AK-203 rifle production and other joint manufacturing initiatives.

Since the start of the Ukraine war India has also increased purchases of Russian crude and has been described as a major buyer of Russian oil, which has helped keep bilateral trade resilient.

Indian commentary and officials frame the relationship as part of a multi-alignment strategy in which India deepens ties with the United States while preserving historic links with Russia.

India’s rivalry and recent border clashes with China have made New Delhi sensitive to Russia’s growing partnership with Beijing and have placed balancing China at the heart of India’s engagement with Russia.

Analysts note that Russia’s turn toward China has been accelerated by Western sanctions, increasing Moscow’s dependency on Beijing while Moscow still avoids openly committing to back Chinese moves in the Himalayas or South China Sea.

Some Indian commentators have warned about Russia’s closer ties to China and continued hardware sales to Pakistan, while other analysts argue that divorcing Russia is impractical because of India’s defence dependencies and long-standing cooperation.

Moscow has remained a supportive actor for India in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the SCO and BRICS on key issues.

Observers have characterized recent high-level visits between Modi and Putin as signalling that India will pursue an independent foreign policy even when that invites Western criticism.

Overall, under Modi and Putin the India–Russia relationship has remained a resilient strategic partnership combining continued defence and energy ties, personal leader engagement, and pragmatic balancing amid India’s growing ties to the United States and its rivalry with China.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia have continued a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and held annual summits.

Title:

Content: New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met visiting Russian president Vladimir Putin at Delhi’s Hyderabad House on Monday evening. Prime Minister said that India-Russia ties are stronger than ever.

Prime Minister Modi added that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, there has been no change in the relationship between India and Russia. He further pointed out that the two countries cooperated during the COVID-19 crisis too, in the field of vaccine and humanitarian support. "The relation between India and Russia is truly a unique and reliable model of interstate friendship," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

"You (Putin) should be credited for the strategic partnership between our countries for the 3 decades," PM Modi said, acknowledging Russian President Vladimir Putin's role in nurturing the bilateral traditions between India and Russia.

India a great power, time-tested friend: Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia considers India 'a great power' and a 'time tested' friend. "The relations between our nations are growing and I am looking into the futur," Putin added while further asserting his happiness at being in India, saying that he is 'happy to travel to India'.

"Currently mutual investments stand at about 38 million with a bit more investment coming from the Russian side. We cooperate greatly in military and technical sphere like no other country. We develop high technologies together as well as produce in India," Putin said.

This is the first in-person meeting between PM Modi and President Putin after their meeting on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Brazil in 2019 before the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. Both the leaders are scheduled to hold deliberations to review the prospects of bilateral relations and recalibrate the long standing India-Russia friendship.

"The agenda for the dialogue will cover political and defence issues of mutual interest. The establishment of this new mechanism of two plus two dialogue is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said earlier.

Posted By: Mukul Sharma

Title:

Content:   • News
  • India News
  • Look forward to reviewing ties with my friend Putin: PM Modi ahead of Russia visit

Look forward to reviewing ties with my friend Putin: PM Modi ahead of Russia visit

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his visit to Russia on Monday said that he looks forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with his 'friend' Russian President Vladimir Putin. PM Modi expressed his eagerness to assess all aspects of bilateral cooperation with President Vladimir Putin and exchange views on various regional and global matters.
India aims to contribute to a peaceful and stable region.
"I am embarking on an official visit to the Russian Federation for the 22nd Annual Summit and my first ever visit to the Republic of Austria over the next three days," PM Modi said in a statment.
"The Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia has advanced over the past ten years, including in the areas of energy, security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges," he added.
The Indian ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, stated that the two leaders will discuss the progress of bilateral relations and other regional matters of shared interest, as reported by ANI.
Upon his arrival in Moscow on Monday afternoon, PM Modi will be welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a private lunch. The following day, the Prime Minister will engage with the Indian community residing in Russia. Subsequently, he will pay his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier within the Kremlin and tour an exhibition site in the capital city.
PM Modi's most recent trip to Russia occurred in 2019 when he journeyed to Vladivostok in the Far East. Both India and Russia are part of the BRICS association, which also includes Brazil, China, and South Africa.

First visit to Austria by an Indian PM in over 40 years.
PM Modi will also visit Austria for the first time, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in over 40 years. During the three-day visit, he will meet President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Karl Nehammer. Discussions will focus on strengthening the partnership in innovation, technology, and sustainable development.
The Prime Minister will also engage with business leaders to explore trade and investment opportunities. Additionally, he will interact with the Indian community in Austria, known for their professionalism and conduct. This visit underscores the strong and reliable partnership between India and Austria, rooted in shared democratic ideals.
"Together with the Austrian Chancellor, I look forward to exchanging views with business leaders from both sides to explore mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities. I will also be interacting with the Indian community in Austria who is well regarded for their professionalism and conduct," the statement said.
About the Author
TOI News Desk

The TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most."

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What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

What formal frameworks do India and Russia cooperate within?

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

What formal frameworks do India and Russia cooperate within?

The two leaders have met in person in high-profile visits, including Putin’s December visit to India and Modi’s state visits to Russia, reflecting ongoing personal engagement.

Title:

Content: Follow Us:

Putin visiting India: Is it strategic balancing?

By Major General S.B. Asthana
With heated exchanges between the US and Russia due to heavy concentration of troops in Ukraine border scheduled for talks between both, Russias growing dependency on China due to sanctions from West, and Indian tilt towards the US with inclusion in Quad, the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India on December 6, appears to be viewed differently by different world players. Even in domestic debates, the public anger due to Chinese intrusion in Ladakh and growing partnership of Russia and China, indicates that the visit is sensitive in context of international geopolitical scenario; hence will require a delicate strategic balancing including text of joint statement, if issued at the end of the visit. Notwithstanding the above, the visit is a scheduled 21st India-Russia Annual Summit, which couldnt take place earlier due to coronavirus pandemic, there are many justified reasons to continue with 'Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty (1971)' matured into 'Strategic Partnership (2000)', which has stood the test of time till date, even during ongoing rough relations between China and India.

Why Russia Matters to India Despite Chinese Embrace?

Despite Indian effort for Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing and SIPRI indicating significant 33 per cent decrease in import of military hardware by India in recent years, it remains heavily dependent on Russian technology, maintenance, procurement of hardware and spares. For many decades Russians have been collaborating with India in its indigenous manufacturing programs and were amenable to transfer of technology, which India was finding difficult to get from others. It includes some major systems like nuclear-powered submarines, warships/frigates, nuclear reactors, space programmes and flagship projects like Brahmos.

The impending visit, besides deal to commence indigenous manufacturing of AK 203 Kalashnikov rifles, may see some forward movement in collaboration in manufacturing (including transfer of technology of very short range air defence missile systems (VSHORADS), twin engine helicopters to replace Cheetah and Chetak, upgradation of inventory of MIG-29 and Sukhoi aircrafts. S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system which India had signed in 2018 for $5.43 billion is a done deal, and the threat of CAATSA is unlikely to have any impact on delivery schedule. It was chosen because it was most suitable to Indian requirement at that point of time. There are also speculations of approximately ten agreements to be signed between the two countries, which could include reciprocal exchange of logistics Agreement and 10-year military technical agreement, besides Two plus Two dialogue to strengthen existing strategic partnership. While the US may be amenable to a waiver on CAATSA for S-400, in view of common China challenge, but further deals may create some new friction points in strengthening of Indo-US relations.

On strategic context, Russia continues to be a favourable P5 member in UN and continues to support India in various multilateral organisations like the UN, SCO, BRICS on crucial issues. It's a technological powerhouse, with one of the largest producer of military hardware, producing rugged equipment suited for variety of terrain, where Indian forces operate. While its nearness to China, its discomfort with Indian embrace to Quad, growing Indo-US partnership, and hardware sale to Pakistan, forces some of the opinion makers in India to suggest divorcing Russia in favour of US, but such opinions are marred by impracticality, ignorance of Indian hardware dependency on Russia and its track record of reliability of its partnership with India. In its revised Military Strategy document Russia continues to name India as its partner along with China, and has not delayed/defaulted on any hardware support to India, even during standoff with China. The interest of both countries also coincide regarding concerns on export of terror after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and resultant humanitarian crisis, which will certainly be a subject of discussion and may find some mention in joint statement.

Reality of Sino-Russian Embrace

The much publicised Sino-Russian embrace by Chinese media and Russian acceptance to go along has been due to economic compulsions due to increasing sanctions from West, common adversary US branding both as competitors in security strategy documents. Objectively an expansionist, aggressive China seeking Sino-centric world order does suit Russia as well, which is looking for multilateral world order. Chinese BRI has already side-lined Eurasian dream, its technological theft like alleged hypersonic technology proliferation and increasing border claims in previously settled border with Tajikistan are not to Russian liking. Russia has made no commitment to back China's misadventure in South China Sea/Himalayas and China has also not made any commitment on Ukraine borders. Reiterating India as a strategic partner may be Moscow's message to US and Beijing both. It is however, impractical to expect Russia criticising China or Pakistan or India discussing Ukraine issue during this visit, due to peculiar geo-political equations, and Russians need for strategic and economic balancing.

Strategic Balancing by India

India and US have commonality of Interest in most issues including tackling China, which has pushed India to become an important global strategic partner of US, by its aggressive designs. There is congruence of interests in most global issues between US and India in the current geo-strategic equation. India stands with US and Quad in context of Indo-Pacific and facing China challenge. India continues to do its best to respond to sensitivities and concerns of the US, at times risking some of its old relationships like Iran. To accommodate US interest India reduced import of oil from Iran, bearing a cost disadvantage, as Iran oil was being imported in Rupee terms, in crude form and attuned to existing refineries in India. India doesn't seem to be repeating the same mistake with Russians, who haven't done anything bilaterally which demands a divorce in mutual relationship. Moreover, military capacity building of India also adds to collective strength of Quad, which is in collective interest.

Lately India is trying to be self-reliant, as well as diversifying procurement from various countries to include US, France, Israel. In last decade the defence procurement from Russia has gradually reduced from over 65 percent approximately to nearly 49 percent and correspondingly increased in favour of the US, Israel and France. There is a noticeable upward trend in purchase of US military hardware, as the year 2020 alone saw a purchase $3.4 billion worth of US military equipment, indicating enough accommodation by India. In a buyers' market US has competitors to include Russia, Israel and France, and every country will make sovereign choice to pick the best deal including India. India has also made modest beginning in exporting Rs 38,000 crore worth of military equipment, as a step towards self-reliance, seeking support of all the partners.

(Major General S.B.Asthana is a strategic and security analyst, a veteran Infantry General. He is the Chief Instructor, United Service Institution of India. The views expressed are personal)

--IANS
asthana/ksk/

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

Officials from both countries have emphasized cooperation across energy, security, trade, investment, health, and high technology and discussed mechanisms such as a Two-plus-Two dialogue.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

India remains heavily dependent on Russian military technology, maintenance, hardware procurement and spares for platforms including nuclear submarines, warships, nuclear reactors, space programmes, BrahMos, and combat aircraft.

Title:

Content: Top

Old friends

X

On Monday, PM Modi spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The phone call reportedly was a follow-up on many of the issues raised during Putin's recent India visit on December 6. According to a statement by the PMO, the two leaders have agreed to remain in regular touch with each other on a range of issues covered under the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Insofar as visits from foreign dignitaries and leaders go, Putin's visit to India earlier this month was arguably the most consequential development for India in the field of foreign affairs for quite some time. India, as may be known, has a long and storied relationship with Russia and its precursor, the Soviet Union. From the earliest days, the friendship between the two nations had a strong strategic undertone with both sides supporting each other on the world stage whenever necessary. Indeed, the Soviet Union was undeniably India's greatest ally in the 20th century against the machinations of the western powers like the US that did not take kindly to India announcing itself to be a 'socialist' nation. From Kashmir to the Bangladesh Liberation War, Russia has stood by India in defence of its strategic interests. As a proof of the relationship, a majority of military equipment India currently possesses was either directly supplied by Moscow or is otherwise of Russian origin. In recent years, with the fall of the Soviet Union and India's move towards liberalising its economy, India has ventured out into the world to make a new set of friends. This time around, it is India and the US that are getting along like a house on fire. India has deliberately sought to widen its field diplomatically and militarily in order to not be tied down to a single nation with the rather pragmatic understanding that there are no permanent relationships in international politics. In more recent times, Russia and India have somewhat drifted further apart as Russia bands together with India's rival China to take on the hegemony of the western world that is held up by the US. While India has no interest in joining the US in its power games against Russia, it is very much interested in leveraging its relationship with the west in its struggle to contain a belligerent China. It is here that India has had to perform a tremendous tight-rope walk, particularly following the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia. On the one hand, you have America that wishes to limit or even extinguish India's strategic relationship with Russia. On the other, you have Russia that is increasingly concerned and agitated by India drawing ever closer to the US's sphere of influence as it joins America in endeavours like the Quad grouping. Of particular concern to both sides is India's continuing dependence on Russia for military equipment. The US, already having sanctioned Turkey for the same, looks on menacingly as it threatens India with sanctions for buying the S-400 missile system. Russia, of course, is not only interested in keeping its old defence ties but even expanding them, as it has been recently teasing India with the possibility of being the first nation in the world to buy the improved S-500 missile system. In this regard, Putin's visit to India could be termed as symbolic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Putin has only ventured out twice from his country, with the second trip being the one to India. His tone and body language during the meeting with PM Modi spoke volumes of the importance he attaches to maintaining the ties with India. Aside from underscoring the good working relationship he has with India's PM, the visit also highlighted that despite the recent turns of history, the two nations still have much to share and collectively work towards. Common concern in regards to the Taliban and Afghanistan is one such area that the two sides are looking to cooperate on in the near future. Another is strengthening existing defence ties between the two nations. Underscoring its strategic independence, India has decided to continue with its defence dealings with Russia, discussing the purchase of the S-400 missile system while also finalising a long-pending Rs 5,000 crore deal for the production of over five lakh AK-203 rifles in a joint Indo-Russian deal. But all said and done, the future of India's relationship with Russia still has some shades of uncertainty. Primary amongst them is the ongoing escalation between Moscow and NATO in regards to Ukraine and eastern Europe. If Russia should choose to brave threats of western sanctions to take action in Ukraine, where does this leave India? Can India still continue its balancing game between east and west at a time when geopolitics are heating up to a boiling point? That remains to be seen.

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In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

India has sought greater self-reliance and diversified defence procurement, and Russian share of India's defence imports has declined from roughly 65 percent to about 49 percent over the past decade.

How has Russia/ India arms trade evolved since the start of the war in Ukraine?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

Purchases of US military equipment have risen, with India buying about $3.4 billion worth of US arms in 2020 as an indicator of this trend.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

At the same time, significant Russia-India defence deals have continued, including the 2018 S-400 contract and a long-pending plan for AK-203 rifle production and other joint manufacturing initiatives.

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How has trade level between India and Russia changed under Modi and Putin?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

weapons joint production
security & military
weapons supply

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How has trade level between India and Russia changed under Modi and Putin?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

weapons joint production
security & military
weapons supply

Since the start of the Ukraine war India has also increased purchases of Russian crude and has been described as a major buyer of Russian oil, which has helped keep bilateral trade resilient.

Title:

Content: Homepage

Modi's Russia visit shows India isn't worried about making the US mad

  • In a move likely to anger the US, Modi is visiting Russia.
  • The move signals strong ties between Delhi and Moscow, and shows the world India is pursuing its own agenda.
  • Modi is aiming to correct the trade imbalance and address China's Indo-Pacific activities.
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In a move likely to anger the US, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Russia on Monday for his first bilateral trip after winning a historic third term in office.

Modi's two-day visit to Russia — where he is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin — is significant in that it signals strong ties between Delhi and Moscow. It also shows the world that India is not afraid to pursue its own agenda.

Vinay Kwatra, India's foreign secretary, told reporters in New Delhi that issues between Russia and India have "piled up" and "need to be addressed," per Bloomberg.

Russia's relationship with India goes back to the Cold War, and trade between the two countries has grown since Russia started the war in Ukraine. India is a major buyer of Russian oil. Russia is also India's biggest arms supplier.

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Kwatra underscored that the two countries' trade relationship has remained "resilient."

Still, Modi's trip will "rankle many Western observers," Ved Shinde, a researcher and contributor to Australia's Lowy Institute think tank, wrote in a note on Wednesday.

"Since the Ukraine war began, India's purchase of cheap oil from Russia has been seen as profiting from troubles in the heart of Europe," Shinde added.

Modi's visit to Russia will make the US look bad

Just like Putin's visit to supply-chain hot spot Vietnam, India's engagement with Russia isn't a good look for the US, as it comes while Washington is isolating Putin's regime.

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The US has raised "some concerns" about India's relationship with Russia with New Delhi, Kurt Campbell, the US Deputy Secretary of State, said last month.

However, Washington acknowledges that India's ties with Russia are different from its ties with the US.

"We have many areas of alignment, but it is not surprising that there would be areas where we've had perhaps different perspectives, views, historical ties," Campbell said about America's relationship with India.

India, for its part, is looking to balance its relationship with the world's key powerbrokers — the US, Russia, and China.

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"There are different degrees in India's multi-alignment. Make no mistake — the United States and its allies are more consequential for India's future than its relationship with Russia," wrote Shinde.

India needs to leverage its historical ties with Russia to secure its economy and security, so Modi isn't just in Russia for a goodwill trip.

Reducing the trade imbalance

A key agenda item for the visit is to reduce a huge bilateral trade imbalance, said Kwatra.

India imports about $60 billion of goods a year from Russia, but Russia buys less than 10% of this amount from India, per Bloomberg.

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Modi may also touch on China's activities in the Indo-Pacific region, said Kwatra.

India is trying to manage its relationship with China, which has been testy since a border dispute in 2020. Modi skipped the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan last week.

There's also the matter of Russia's ties with China.

At the summit last week, Putin said Russia's relationship with China is in the "best period in history."

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Modi now needs to cozy up to Putin to counter China's advances.

"The reason for the time-tested stability in India-Russia ties is to maintain a continental balance in the Eurasian heartland. That is, to balance China," wrote Shinde.

"Or to put it another way, don't go around making new adversaries when there are already two open fronts — China and Pakistan," Shinde added.

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Title:

Content: Will Trump Win US Presidential Elections?

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Donald Trump

Highlights

Does India firmly believe that Trump will win the race in US presidency? Does India want Trump to come to power to end the war between Russia and Ukraine? If the comments made by the key leader of the Republican Party, Nikki Haley are any indication, it appears so.

Hyderabad: Does India firmly believe that Trump will win the race inUS presidency? Does India want Trump to come to power to end the war between Russia and Ukraine? If the comments made by the key leader of the Republican Party, Nikki Haley are any indication, it appears so.

Nicky said that Putin did not commit any aggression when Trump was in power but when obama was the President Putin occupied Crimea, attacked Ukraine at the same time when Biden became President, he atracked Ukraine. That is why America needs a strong president, she said.

May be India also feels the same way.

The question now arises is will Trump be able to bring peace by making Putin to cease war? Will he be able to maintain proper relations with India and Russia.

The US National Security adviser cautioned that strong ties with Russia were a bad bet for India. America has made similar comments on India's relations with Russia in the past. But India did not care much. A neutral attitude has been followed. Now with Modi's hugging Putin, questions were raised about India's foreign policies. In particular, the question arises as to why Modi is giving priority to Russia instead of America.

Certainly India does not want to spoil relations with America. There is historical reasons for this.

Then why is it maintaining close relations with Russia.

Historically, it has been the biggest supplier of weapons and other defence equipment to India – from the MIG and Sukhoi fighter jets to, more recently, the S-400 anti-missile defence systems.

Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, India has also dramatically ramped up its purchase of Russian crude. Russia is today India’s biggest supplier of oil and those imports have led to the total volume of India-Russia trade .

At the same time, India has in recent years strengthened its ties with the US, whose help it sees as essential to ward off the perceived threat emanating from China’s rise.

Modi and Donald Trump had good relations earlier also. The two leaders had a few years ago held joint public events in Houston and the Indian city of Ahmedabad.Recently modi reacted on the attack on trump, describing Trump as my friend.

After attack Indian administration was increasingly convinced that Trump might return to power in November. Trumps victory would help India, by easing the pressure on New Delhi to turn away from Moscow.

A second Trump administration, almost certainly, will care less about the optics of Russia-India ties. In his first term as president, Trump focused US strategic attention on Washington’s rivalry with Beijing, rather than on Moscow – a worldview that is in sync with India’s. India too views Beijing as its principal threat.

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How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How has Russia/ India trade evolved since the start of the war in Ukraine?

India's purchases of Russian oil increased

How has trade level between India and Russia changed under Modi and Putin?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How has Russia/ India trade evolved since the start of the war in Ukraine?

India's purchases of Russian oil increased

How has trade level between India and Russia changed under Modi and Putin?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Indian commentary and officials frame the relationship as part of a multi-alignment strategy in which India deepens ties with the United States while preserving historic links with Russia.

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

India’s rivalry and recent border clashes with China have made New Delhi sensitive to Russia’s growing partnership with Beijing and have placed balancing China at the heart of India’s engagement with Russia.

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Why is maintaining a relationship with Russia important for India?

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Why is maintaining a relationship with Russia important for India?

Analysts note that Russia’s turn toward China has been accelerated by Western sanctions, increasing Moscow’s dependency on Beijing while Moscow still avoids openly committing to back Chinese moves in the Himalayas or South China Sea.

Title:

Content: India’s Long Infatuation with Russia Must End

Seven months after China and Russia announced their "no limits" partnership, the two countries seem closer than ever. In the face of growing Chinese belligerence, this augurs ill for India, which should urgently reconsider its long-standing diplomatic and strategic dependence on a weakening Russia.

NEW DELHI – During a parliamentary debate in April, I expressed my concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. My words were met with grim-faced silence. But the events of the last five months have only strengthened my case.

The debate was on the Ukraine war. While deploring India’s reluctance to call a Russian shovel a spade, I acknowledged that India has historically depended on the Kremlin for defense supplies and spare parts, and appreciated Russia’s long-standing support on vital issues like Kashmir and border tensions with China and Pakistan. But the Ukraine war and Western sanctions had weakened Russia considerably, I noted. The ban on semiconductor chips, for example, had significantly eroded its ability to produce advanced electronics and defense goods that form the basis of India’s dependence.

Worse still, I argued, the war had highlighted and reinforced Russia’s reliance on China as its principal global partner – a relationship that would intensify as Russia grew weaker. India could then scarcely depend on the Kremlin to counter Chinese aggression, exemplified by the People’s Liberation Army’s territorial encroachments and killing of 20 Indian soldiers in June 2020.

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What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

Some Indian commentators have warned about Russia’s closer ties to China and continued hardware sales to Pakistan, while other analysts argue that divorcing Russia is impractical because of India’s defence dependencies and long-standing cooperation.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

What has negatively affected India/ Russia current relationship?

Moscow has remained a supportive actor for India in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the SCO and BRICS on key issues.

What formal frameworks do India and Russia cooperate within?

Observers have characterized recent high-level visits between Modi and Putin as signalling that India will pursue an independent foreign policy even when that invites Western criticism.

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

How did India react to the war between Russia and Ukraine?

India did not join the Western sanctions against Russia

India did not directly oppose Russia's actions

Overall, under Modi and Putin the India–Russia relationship has remained a resilient strategic partnership combining continued defence and energy ties, personal leader engagement, and pragmatic balancing amid India’s growing ties to the United States and its rivalry with China.

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

energy
security & military
weapons supply

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Why is maintaining a relationship with Russia important for India?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

energy
security & military
weapons supply

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Why is maintaining a relationship with Russia important for India?

In what fields are India and Russia cooperating?

energy
security & military
weapons supply

What do Putin and Modi officially characterize Russia/ India relationship as?

Why is maintaining a relationship with India important for Russia?

Why is maintaining a relationship with Russia important for India?


Japan is described as a global leader in e‑waste management with thousands of convenient drop‑off points, examination centers, and repair/refurbishment avenues.

China is expanding recycling infrastructure and companies like ATRenew have opened nearly 2,000 offline stores to facilitate recycling and refurbishment.

China’s 2018 National Sword policy banned most plastic and recyclable imports and prompted other countries to invest in domestic recycling infrastructure.

State‑of‑the‑art optical sorting and related systems are improving capture rates for flexible plastics, while advanced (chemical) recycling is being developed to produce materials comparable to virgin plastics.

Standardized labels such as How2Recycle (U.S.), On‑Pack Recycling Labels (U.K.), and Australasian Recycling Labels help consumers follow local rules and reduce aspirational recycling.

Globally, e‑waste exceeded 53 million metric tons annually and only about 17% of that e‑waste is recycled.

Governments can boost domestic demand through procurement requirements, extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, and funding for processing and infrastructure, as discussed in municipal examples.

Some U.S. municipalities have reduced or ended curbside programs due to depressed commodity prices, contamination and rising operating costs.

Recommendation: adopt Japan’s convenient collection and repair model, scale infrastructure and retail recycling as in China, use standardized labeling and advanced sorting, and employ procurement and EPR to grow demand.

Japan is described as a global leader in e‑waste management with thousands of convenient drop‑off points, examination centers, and repair/refurbishment avenues.

Title:

Content: Save The Planet — and Your Dollars — By Making Your Office Gadgets Greener. Here's How. Millions of offices around the globe need to rethink their use of electronics.

By Kerry Chen

Key Takeaways

  • The global secondhand market is booming, and this is especially true for consumer electronics.
  • Recycling or refurbishing used tech is a multifaceted process that requires a well-coordinated network of services.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In this decade, more and more businesses feel the need to adjust their operations in favor of more long-term sustainable practices. From consumer demands to politics and investors, environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices have never been discussed more than today.

However, this boom is not just about using green energy in production or donating towards environmental efforts. It's about changing entire corporate cultures, making employees and partners aware of sustainability issues and implementing shifts across all departments.

Contemporary businesses are profoundly dependent on consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops. These devices present distinct sustainability challenges and opportunities, spanning from recycling to lifespan extension. As such, they not only offer global entrepreneurs an exceptional chance to demonstrate their dedication to ESG principles by implementing adequate company policies and educating their workforce but also enable them to reap significant financial benefits in the future.

E-waste and secondhand smartphones

The global secondhand market is booming, and this is especially true for consumer electronics. In fact, according to CCS Insight, refurbished smartphone sales grew by more than 14% in 2023, outshining new smartphone sales and reaching a total of $13.3 billion in Q1 2023 despite suffering from a severe supply shortage. This growth is a testament to the evolving consumer sentiment, and this trend is poised to continue flourishing throughout the current decade and beyond.

One of the key driving factors behind the expansion of secondhand mobile markets is the growing concern over electronic waste or e-waste. The proliferation of electronic devices has led to an alarming increase in e-waste, which poses serious threats to the environment, human health and animal well-being. Over 53 million metric tons of e-waste are produced around the globe annually, and only 17% of this e-waste is recycled.

From toxic chemicals leaching into soil and water to hazardous emissions during the disposal process, the consequences of improper electronic waste management are far-reaching and detrimental. Furthermore, manufacturing new smartphones and other consumer electronics requires a substantial amount of resources, which are valuable and limited.

With the raw materials that are found in e-waste being estimated to be worth around $60 billion, there are many reasons for companies to care about recycling and repairing used smartphones. Failing to recycle and reuse these resources exacerbates the scarcity of raw materials, which leads to higher production costs and an unsustainable product life cycle.

Related: How the Circular Economy of Consumer Electronics Can Change Sustainability

The infrastructure is advancing

As consumer sentiment continues to lean toward sustainability, the necessary infrastructure to support the growth of secondhand mobile markets is developing in tandem. The global electronics recycling market amounted to about $40 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach a value of $110 billion by 2030.

Recycling or refurbishing a used smartphone is a multifaceted process that requires a well-coordinated network of services. According to a 2022 study, convenience is a major factor when it comes to recycling.

Japan, a global leader in handling e-waste, provides thousands of convenient drop-off points for consumers to discard their used smartphones, dedicated examination centers for a thorough assessment of devices, and avenues for repair and refurbishment.

At ATRenew, we are now aiming to intensify recycling-related infrastructure development in China. For example, to facilitate convenient recycling, ATRenew has opened nearly 2,000 offline stores in a bid to provide the necessary infrastructure.

Related: How the Circular Economy of Consumer Electronics Can Change Sustainability

How businesses can position themselves

Crucially, it's not only the device manufacturers and refurbishment centers that can make a lasting impact. Every modern-day organization aware of these issues can position itself as a responsible entity committed to reducing e-waste.

As usual, the first step to reducing e-waste and increasing the lifecycle of devices is to invest in the education of employees. Holding training sessions on the responsible usage, maintenance and eventual disposal of electronics can greatly enhance their longevity and suitability for refurbishment. Additionally, companies could organize public presentations or workshops to educate both employees and regular consumers, thus showing their commitment to the public.

Finally, there are also a number of internal policies that could make a big difference. For instance, offices could introduce shorter tech refresh cycles during which current devices are upgraded, or even allow employees to bring their own devices – with appropriate security measures, of course.

Regardless of which measure is ultimately used, all organizations can choose to put them on public display via social media and thus achieve a great branding effect with consumers and talent alike.

Related: 70% of Consumers Say They'll Buy 'Green' Products, but Only 5% Actually Do. That's Due to a Common Marketing Mistake By Eco-Friendly Brands.

A sustainable path forward

The increasing prominence of secondhand mobile markets reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior, and this change is not merely a passing trend. Instead, it is a well-founded response to the challenges posed by e-waste and resource scarcity.

As consumers are becoming more conscious of their choices and the impact of their actions, secondhand smartphones have become a preferred option since they align with the principles of sustainability and responsible consumption. This, in turn, is animating businesses to follow suit and provide a supply to quench that demand.

With this positive feedback loop, the growth of secondhand smartphone markets in the recent past will definitely continue over the next decade. By reducing e-waste, conserving valuable resources, and making advanced technology accessible to a broader demographic, these markets are shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

Kerry Chen

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

CEO of ATRenew, Inc.

Kerry is the CEO of ATRenew, the leading pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and services platform. ATRenew is on a mission to give a second life to all idle goods by facilitating recycling and trade-in services, and distributing the devices to prolong their lifecycle.

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Sealed Air: Recyclability Claims: What You Need To Know

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 8, 2023 / There are four paths a package can take after serving its useful purpose: landfill/litter, composting, energy recovery/incineration, or recycling. While a recyclability claim is commonly associated with what makes a package sustainable, recycling is just one part of a complex ecosystem that depends on a variety of factors including geography, consumer behavior, collection processes, sorting processes, equipment, and profitability.

Packaging recyclability claims that are unsubstantiated or misleading create risk ranging from consumer complaints and negative social media chatter to class action lawsuits and fines from governmental organizations. They can also lead to a weakening of the recycling infrastructure, a circumstance the global circular economy simply can't afford.

Getting recyclability claims right is easier than you think - but it pays to follow the rules. Here are some things you need to know:

Criteria for 100% Recyclable

To be considered 100% recyclable, SEE® (formerly Sealed Air) believes packaging material or solutions must meet this criteria:

1. Can be collected at curbside or drop-off by at least 60% of the population

Whether it's picked up at the curbside or taken by the consumer to a drop-off location, collection is the first step to recycling. Recycling systems vary greatly in terms of what they will take based on everything from the sorting equipment available at the material recovery facility (MRF) they work with, how much labor they are able to employ to pick up bins or sort by hand, and even the market price for bales of collected material to off-set the cost of sorting.

Most municipal recycling programs publish the types of materials they accept either as part of customer agreements, printed guides, or on their websites. Based on a variety of factors, these rules can change from time to time - restricted items may still leave the curb, but unknowingly to the consumer, it will end up in the landfill.

All this is to say, that regardless of the material type, it becomes the responsibility of the consumer to check the rules that govern the program in which they participate, as well as to follow guidelines provided by standardized labels such as How2Recycle in the U.S., On-Pack Recycling Labels in the U.K, or the Australasian Recycling Labels in Australia and New Zealand.

While similar to some degree, labels and rules vary around the world and aren't always easy to understand at a glance. That's a lot for consumers to keep up with - and it's one of the biggest reasons we encounter aspirational recycling - when consumers knowingly put something in the bin they may be unsure about and simply hope it gets recycled.

2. Can be sorted by the material recovery facility to which it is sent

Now that most municipal recycling programs offer mixed-stream recycling where paper, glass, metals, and plastics are collected in one bin, MRFs take on the critical role of sorting before items can move on to the actual recycling process.

Because the volume of waste can be high and the time to sort is so short, most modern MRFs automate the sorting process as much as possible with high-speed conveyors and screens, optical sorters, and robotics.

While that's great news for packaging made of paper, metal, or glass, the "need for speed" presents a particular challenge for plastic. Plastics that often look and weigh the same, may be constructed completed differently, so how they react during different stages of the sorting process will also vary.

To keep things simple and to protect the integrity of their recycling streams, most MRFs limit the types of plastic they accept, and only through improvement of the recycling infrastructure is that likely to change.

3. Can be recycled into a commercially viable product

Recycling is the process through which materials are returned to some type of useful, marketable material. While there can be many ways to accomplish this task, two are of the most relevance to packaging: mechanical recycling and advanced recycling.

Mechanical recycling refers to operations that use processes such as grinding, washing, separating, drying, granulating, and compounding as the means to create recycled materials. For plastics, while mechanical recycling preserves the molecular structure, in some cases the recycled material does not possess the same functional properties as the original.

This results in downcycling, or the need to use the recycled material in a different or lower-value application. Examples of downcycling include PET water bottles that are recycled into pellets used to make carpeting or synthetic fleece fibers; used printer or photocopy paper being recycled into corrugated cardboard; or glass containers that are recycled into fiberglass insulation or used as additives in concrete or ceramic tiles.

Where plastics are concerned, the highest volume of mechanically recycled packaging materials are standard formats such as PET bottles for water and soft drinks, and HDPE jugs for milk and juice. Beyond those applications, there is no standard for what type of resin can be used, so it becomes more challenging for recyclers to identify and separate plastics to keep recycling streams pure.

Maintaining the quality and integrity of recycling streams is critical to marketability and therefore profitability. Without market demand, reasonable margins, or affordable pricing for recycled materials and the applications that use them, the entire recycling system will fail.

Complexity of the Plastic Recycling Ecosystem

With a start as early as the 1960s, municipal recycling programs as we know them today didn't really gain scale until the 1990s. During that same period, plastic packaging changed dramatically as well, moving from the easier-to-identify-and-recycle rigid plastics like PET(E) and HDPE to include a broad range of performance plastics such as flexible LDPE films, PVC, PP, or PS.

In 1988, about the time municipal recycling programs began to gain scale, the Plastics Industry Association (formerly Society of the Plastics Industry) developed resin identification codes (RIC) to "provide a consistent national system to facilitate recycling of post-consumer plastics."

When first introduced, RIC symbols featured the universally recognized recycling symbol known as the "chasing arrows" to contain the resin type identification number. And, while those chasing arrows were intended only to facilitate the sorting process prior to recycling, the general public misinterpreted the symbols and began associating them directly with recyclability.

Currently, ASTM International maintains upkeep of the RIC graphic standards. While they officially replaced the chasing arrows with a solid triangle in 2013, following these standards remains voluntary, and use of the chasing arrows remains prevalent. For packaging in particular, keeping up with changing voluntary standards can be challenging - as the replacement of a die or injection mold is often determined to be cost prohibitive for such a small change.

Because RICs were never developed with brand owners or consumers in mind, claiming recyclability based on RIC alone is not enough. In today's environment, regardless of the material type, it becomes the responsibility of the consumer to check the rules that govern the program in which they participate.

That's why SEE® recommends use of standardized labels such as How2Recycle in the U.S., On-Pack Recycling Labels in the U.K, or the Australasian Recycling Labels in Australia and New Zealand.

And it's also why SEE® takes the position that when it comes to recycling plastic packaging, the proper instruction to consumers always starts with "check locally."

Innovation and Infrastructure

For more than 20 years until 2018, China accepted nearly half of the world's recyclable waste, including 95% of the plastics collected in the E.U and 70% from the U.S. But when quality problems and contamination of their recycled materials caused a significant decline in market value, China instituted National Sword, a policy that banned the import of most plastics and other materials headed for their recycling processors.

Prior to 2018, as the use and development of flexible plastic packaging skyrocketed, governments worried little about the need to build their own infrastructure to recycle it. At the same time, most consumers had no idea that the materials they put out at the curb eventually went overseas.

The good news is countries and municipalities that may have once relied on exporting recyclables to China are now investing in and enhancing their own infrastructure. For example:

Research conducted by the Materials Recovery for the Future project in 2020 showed that state-of-the-art optical sorting and peripheral systems are significantly improving the capture rate and quality of recycled flexible plastic packaging.

Advanced recycling, also called chemical recycling, uses pyrolysis to create plastic with performance properties equal to virgin plastics that can be used for the same application from which they came - such as fresh food packaging.

Industry associations are conducting initiatives focused on improving the process of recycling PE films, recycling post-industrial food packaging, or using recycled plastic content in products like asphalt.

While these technologies are still in developmental stages, they are part of how SEE® and its related industries are working together to create more and better recycling solutions.

Why SEE® Calls It Recycle-Ready

SEE® defines recyclability as the likelihood that a material will be collected, recycled, and then made into a new, commercially viable product. Given the current state of the recycling ecosystem around the world that's not as easy or straightforward as it should be.

The company understands that political climate, NGOs, or exchanges on social media often put pressure on an industry for change but SEE® won't take short cuts that could put the progress it's made at risk.

The term recyclable has criteria associated with it that SEE® observes to ensure the purity, quality, and market value of its recycling streams. And, while the company will continue to develop and introduce new products with recyclability in mind, it acknowledges the infrastructure may not be ready to accommodate these innovations just yet - so it sends them to market as recycle-ready.

As soon as these materials meet all criteria to be labeled 100% recyclable, SEE® will update the claim.

Originally published on SealedAir.com.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Sealed Air on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Sealed Air
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/sealed-air
Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Sealed Air

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/753429/Recyclability-Claims-What-You-Need-To-Know

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State‑of‑the‑art optical sorting and related systems are improving capture rates for flexible plastics, while advanced (chemical) recycling is being developed to produce materials comparable to virgin plastics.

Standardized labels such as How2Recycle (U.S.), On‑Pack Recycling Labels (U.K.), and Australasian Recycling Labels help consumers follow local rules and reduce aspirational recycling.

Globally, e‑waste exceeded 53 million metric tons annually and only about 17% of that e‑waste is recycled.

Governments can boost domestic demand through procurement requirements, extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, and funding for processing and infrastructure, as discussed in municipal examples.

Title:

Content: Man dies in Wilmington after being struck by ambulance
LOCAL

Recycling is popular, so why is New Hanover County's landfill filling up so quickly?

Gareth McGrath
USA TODAY NETWORK
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Bill Peters popped his trunk and pulled out a plastic bin full of empty aluminum cans and glass bottles on the brisk December morning.

They soon joined thousands of other bottles and cans in the largely full big blue dumpster in the parking lot of the Lowes Foods in Murrayville, destined for a new life as recycled material.

"It's just the right thing to do," Peters said when asked why he carted his empties to the county-run recycling center just off North College Road. "Plus, it feels good not to be just throwing everything away."

FRIGID FORECASTWill Wilmington see a white Christmas this year? Probably not, but it's going to be cold.

Even as thousands of New Hanover County residents separate their recyclable garbage and either have it picked up from their curb or transport it to a recycling center, the concept of giving our throwaways a second chance at a productive use is in trouble.

But it isn't from people not wanting or willing to take the time to do it, experts say. It's because of dollars and cents, even if recycling in the big picture makes a whole lot of sense on many levels.

Why is recycling in trouble?

Joe Suleyman is an avid supporter of recycling. But he also knows why the industry is in trouble because he sees it everyday.

“The markets are very depressed as far as commodity pricing goes," said the head of New Hanover County's Recycling and Solid Waste department. "As a matter of fact, it’s as low as I’ve ever seen it."

Suleyman said Sonoco, which runs the county's recycling center on U.S. 421 North, gets paid per ton of recycled material that gets dropped off at the facility. He said he's seen the weighted average price (WAP) per ton, which is based on market prices, as high as $140 in past years.

"This month it's around $51 a ton, so this is bad, especially when it takes Sonoco roughly $100 a ton to get the material ready to go to market," he said.

The sinking price for recyclables is seen across the board, Suleyman said. Cardboard has fallen from as high as $120 a ton to $35. Aluminum is down from $2,370 a ton to $1,450. Plastics, which largely follows the price of oil, has sunk from $955 a ton in May to $240 a ton today.

The falling commodity prices comes as inflation, labor shortages and supply-chain issues pushes the price of running and operating a recycling program up.

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"It's never an economical way when compared to using virgin material," Suleyman said. "There's no comparison."

The double whammy of falling market prices and rising operating costs has seen some North Carolina municipalities scrap or reduce their recycling programs, including Greensboro which in 2019 ditched collecting glass from its curbside program due to its weight. More recently, Clinton discontinued its curbside recycling program this summer in favor of drop-off centers. City officials said high contamination rates and the cost of cleaning up the recycled material to make it market-ready prompted the decision.

Overall, the N.C. Division of Waste Management reported that 10 municipalities ended curbside recycling in 2020-21, bringing the total number of programs statewide to 312.

But even though the overall amount of recycled material in North Carolina has fallen in recent years, from as high as 335 pounds per capita in 2016-17 to 301 pounds per capita in 2020-21, largely blamed on increased contamination of recyclables, challenges associated with COVID-19, and in general lighter loads being diverted for recycling, officials said support for waste-diversion programs remains strong with the public and local governments.

"Total recovery results from the past decade reflect a mature public recycling system that has maintained resiliency despite recycling market challenges beginning in 2018 and through the COVID-19 pandemic," reports the state's 2020-21 solid waste report.

Why keep recycling if it's a money pit?

Recycling was never a moneymaker, even in the best of times − and these aren't the best of times.

So why keep offering the service? Suleyman said that's an easy answer.

"We're running out of space to throw away our trash," he said.

In November 2019, officials opened up an additional 90 acres at the New Hanover County landfill off of U.S. 421 north of Interstate 140 to trash. The thinking was the expansion would meet the county's waste needs until the 2090s.

But a survey this May found that figure is now down to an estimated 28 years. And if the county landfill has to close, New Hanover residents could be on the hook for much higher trash bills if waste has to be trucked to an out-of-county or even out-of-state landfill.

"It's definitely pretty serious," Suleyman said, adding that the county's surging population coupled with weather events like Hurricanes Florence in 2018 and Matthew in 2016 have fueled the increase in trash amounts coming to the landfill.

Dave Mayes, Wilmington's director of public services, echoed the sentiment.

“It's certainly not a moneymaker," he said of running a recycling program. "But it's certainly less expensive to dispose of our trash through our recycling paths than taking it to the landfill."

Mayes said the city recycles roughly 7,000 tons a year through its residential curbside recycling program and downtown collection bins versus 25,000 tons a year it sends to the landfill.

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Which leads us back to recycling, and why county and city officials are looking to increase the waste-diversion options available to residents.

“We need to increase (recycling), because everyday I go to the landfill and I’m shocked how much space is taking up by household garbage that’s 30 to 40 percent recyclable,” Suleyman said. “We’re running material that can be recycled an infinite number of times into a tomb and watching it disappear."

But that costs money, including increasing financial support for the county's recycling center with funds largely collected from the tipping fee charged haulers dumping trash at the landfill.

Suleyman said in the long term that makes sense.

"I can assure the public that we're making every effort we can to recover and divert as much material away from the landfill as we can, and that starts at the source − residences, businesses, apartment complexes," he said, "because the farther down the pipeline it goes as it gets closer to the landfill, the more expensive it comes to divert it."

What happens now?

With markets depressed even as recycling continues to have strong grassroots-level support, officials say one option that needs to be further developed is growing the domestic demand for recycled materials.

For decades, the United States relied on foreign countries − namely China − to take its recycled material and do something with it. But as those countries increasingly tired of taking the U.S. waste, there was a shortage of demand domestically to fill the slack.

"As a nation we've done a poor job of investing in infrastructure to use that material and turn it into consumer products," Suleyman said. "It's getting better, but we still have a long way to go."

Mayes said that has to change.

“There are two sides to recycling, and it doesn’t work if you’re only working on one," he said, noting that local governments have in general done a good job in getting residents involved in recycling programs. About 80% of city residents participate in Wilmington's curbside recycling program, which is voluntary.

“If we’re not participating in demand side, why are we participating in the supply side?”

One way governments and even some forward-thinking companies are looking to stimulate the market is to include stipulations that contracts include a certain amount of recyclable content. Mayes said Wilmington has done this with recent building contracts and even for things like janitorial supplies.

"Where we have those opportunities, we want to capitalize on them," he said. "We're trying to lead by example."

Another option some officials are looking at is reducing materials getting into the waste stream in the first place, especially those items that aren't readily or easily recyclable. Dubbed extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, the idea is to put more of the responsibility on producers to help curb the amount of trash headed to landfills.

Typically, EPR laws require product manufacturers and distributors to develop a producer stewardship organization that manages fees paid by producers, which can include a flat fee or charging higher fees for products with low recyclability. On the flip side, a discount on fees can be offered for products with high recyclability or including recycled content. Paints, batteries, some plastic products, electronics, tires, carpets and mattresses are common products that often have EPR fees attached to them.

State Rep. Deb Butler, D-Wilmington, floated a bill last year that would add an EPR to some packaging materials and ban the production of packaging materials that include certain toxic substances that have been found to be a danger to public health. The idea was to reduce the overall amount of paper, plastic, glass and metal packaging that's entering the waste stream.

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The legislation didn't go anywhere, but Butler said that was expected considering Democrats are in the minority and past efforts in Raleigh to hold state businesses responsible for their waste in order to help the environment have struggled to find traction − like proposed bans on plastic bags.

But she added just shedding light on the issue was important and could help with an effort from the grassroots up to pressure legislators to question just how much packaging material an item needs. Butler compared the push to anti-littering efforts, which took a decade or more of persistent pressure to produce results and laws aimed at deterring the practice.

“In large measure right now the bill is aspirational," she said about her bill. "But that doesn’t mean it's not important and that we shouldn’t implement something to address the issue."

Butler added that she planned to reintroduce the legislation down the the road to keep the issue front of mind of the public and her fellow legislators.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full  editorial control of the work. Is recycling a dying industry?

View Comments

Some U.S. municipalities have reduced or ended curbside programs due to depressed commodity prices, contamination and rising operating costs.

Recommendation: adopt Japan’s convenient collection and repair model, scale infrastructure and retail recycling as in China, use standardized labeling and advanced sorting, and employ procurement and EPR to grow demand.