From Waste to Resource: Re Sustainability & IOCL Launch India’s 1st Used Oil Circular Economy

(Left) Mr. Masood Mallick and Mr. Bankim Patra (Right)

• Re Sustainability and Indian Oil Join Hands to Create India’s First Integrated Used Oil Circular Economy Ecosystem

Re Sustainability has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to launch India’s first structured national initiative for the collection and recycling of used lubricating oil. The partnership marks a significant milestone in building a circular ecosystem for lubricant oil management and advancing India’s transition towards a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy.

This pioneering collaboration demonstrates how industry partnerships can accelerate circular resource flows, strengthen environmental governance, and build resilient energy and materials infrastructure for the future. By enabling systematic recovery and re-refining of used lubricants, the initiative will help reduce reliance on virgin crude-derived base oils while conserving natural resources and lowering foreign exchange outflows.

The collaboration will focus on establishing a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to create a nationwide reverse logistics and collection ecosystem for used lubricating oil. The platform will aggregate used lubricants from industrial and automotive sectors and develop advanced Re-Refined Base Oil (RRBO) refining infrastructure to produce Group I and Group II+ base oils from recovered lubricants in partnership with Re Sustainability and its technology partners.

Mr. Bankim Patra, Country Head (Lubes), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, said: “As India’s largest integrated energy company, Indian Oil is committed to advancing solutions that strengthen both energy security and environmental responsibility. This collaboration reflects our commitment to building sustainable value chains that enable responsible recovery, reuse, and circular utilisation of lubricants. By formalising the collection and recycling of used oil, we are supporting a more resource-efficient and sustainable energy ecosystem for India.”

Under the collaboration, recovered oil will be processed to produce Re-Refined Base Oil (RRBO) which can be reintroduced into lubricant manufacturing value chains. This circular approach significantly reduces dependence on virgin crude-derived base oils while strengthening material efficiency across the lubricants sector.

Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Masood Mallick, Managing Director & Group CEO, Re Sustainability Limited, said: “India’s journey towards a circular economy requires large-scale systems that can recover value from complex waste streams and reintegrate them into productive use. Our partnership with Indian Oil marks a transformative step towards institutionalising structured oil recycling in India. By building an integrated ecosystem for used lubricant recovery and re-refining, we are enabling the transition from waste management to resource recovery while strengthening India’s environmental infrastructure and circular economy.”

The MoU is signed, with a targeted annual collection of 100 KTA (kilotonnes per annum) of used lubricating oil supported by a structured nationwide network of aggregation, logistics, and traceability systems.

As part of the initiative, the partners will establish a state-of-the-art re-refining facility at mutually agreed locations. The project will include both the development of new infrastructure and the upgrade of existing facilities designed to process used lubricating oil and convert it into Group II Re-Refined Base Oil (RRBO) meeting Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and international specifications.

The facility is expected to have a processing capacity of 50–100 KTA and is targeted to be commissioned within the next three years, forming the foundation for a scalable oil recovery and circular recycling ecosystem under the partnership.

The initiative will also include recovery and recycling of plastic lubricant containers, aligned with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements under India’s environmental regulations, thereby strengthening compliance and enabling responsible lifecycle management of lubricant packaging.

India currently generates approximately 1.3 million tonnes of used lubricating oil annually, of which only around 0.2 million tonnes is recovered through formal recycling channels. This initiative aims to significantly expand formal recovery infrastructure, unlock the resource value of used lubricants, and accelerate India’s transition toward a circular, resource-efficient, and sustainable lubricant economy.

Re Sustainability Limited (ReSL), a KKR-backed company, is one of Asia’s largest and most diversified providers of integrated environmental and sustainability solutions. The company operates across 100+ sites in India, Singapore, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Tanzania, and the USA. With a 22,000+ strong workforce and over three decades of leadership in waste management, resource recovery, and sustainability infrastructure, ReSL is driving the transition toward a low-carbon, circular economy.

For more information, visit: resustainability.com

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil) is India’s largest integrated energy company and a Maharatna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Headquartered in New Delhi, the company operates across the entire hydrocarbon value chain including refining, pipeline transportation, marketing of petroleum products, petrochemicals, natural gas, and exploration and production.

IndianOil owns and operates one of the country’s largest refining capacities and an extensive network of pipelines, terminals, depots, and fuel stations that serve millions of consumers across India. The company plays a vital role in ensuring India’s energy security and supporting economic growth.

Ranked among the Fortune Global 500 companies, IndianOil is also advancing investments in cleaner fuels, renewable energy, and emerging technologies as part of its transition towards a more sustainable and diversified energy future.

India's 1st All-Women's Team Gives Sustainability Lessons to the Entire Country

#SheLeadsthechange: An all-women’s team making extraordinary efforts to give entire India sustainability lessons

• India’s first all-women waste management team from Chennai, through their unwavering commitment and dedication, are consistently achieving 90%-96% source segregation in their Zone. This is a new benchmark for consistent source segregation performance in the country and a model worth replicating across India, given its impact potential at the intersection of gender equity and sustainability. #EmbraceEquity #SheLeadsthechange
• Watch and share their story https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7039113397807816704/

International Women’s Day is a time when women from various spheres are celebrated for their contributions. However, it's important to recognize the unsung heroes who often go unnoticed. Among them are the women conservancy and waste management workers who work tirelessly every day to keep our cities clean. This International Women’s Day, Re Sustainability Limited (ReSL) is raising the bar by celebrating and highlighting the story of an all-women conservancy team in the Manali zone of Chennai through a special campaign: #SheLeadsthechange.

This all-women conservancy and waste management team in Manali, Chennai is comprised of 400 women who serve as sanitation workers, waste collectors, supervisors, waste collection vehicle drivers, composting team members, and managers at various levels. This team serves 27,000 households in their Zone every day. While it's common to see women waste collectors, at times even in uniforms, it's rare to see an entire Municipal Zone, where women are in charge, across all levels and functions. What's even more impressive is that the Manali all-women team utilizes the most advanced technology to manage municipal solid waste. Thus, on any given day in Manali, one can witness women operating technically advanced vehicles and scientifically collecting segregated waste.

We are proud to have an entire team of women who are breaking barriers every day. Watch an inspiring story of how #SheLeadsTheChange by achieving 90%-96% source segregation, daily in Manali, Chennai.

Happy Women’s Day!https://t.co/G5WdzsC71qhttps://t.co/uEryTIHXYy

— Re Sustainability Limited (@WeAre_Re) March 8, 2023

Female Operators

By recognizing and celebrating the efforts of this all-women team, Re Sustainability Limited hopes to raise awareness about the crucial role that women play in keeping our cities clean and also inspire others to follow their lead.

Re Sustainability, through #SheLeadsthechange campaign, celebrates two key achievements of the Manali all-women team:

Within a year of their formation,

• This team has made Manali zone, one of the best-performing Municipal Zones in the country and the fastest to achieve a consistent 90% - 96% waste segregation at source.
• Furthermore, the team has also achieved substantial compliance to an ambitious "Zero Waste" goal, with only 1.5MT of inert waste being diverted to landfills from this Municipal Zone on any given day.

#SheLeadsthechange campaign also brings to light the extraordinary everyday efforts put forth by this team to create public awareness about waste segregation and responsible waste disposal through its IEC programs. The Manali all-women team has developed a bespoke Information – Education – Communication (IEC) public education model, that they are delivering door to door to educate families on the importance of source segregation of waste. From awareness meetings in parks to street plays, various modes of community involvement and engagement have been employed in order to make their Zone a near “zero waste” region.

A local resident of Manali shares her views, “Waste segregation is now a part of our lifestyle. We cannot go back to the old days of non-segregation.”

The efforts of the all-women team in Manali demonstrate that women can initiate positive behavioral change in waste disposal habits. These changes often begin with small, incremental steps that gradually build momentum and create a culture of change. This self-sustaining effort by the Manali women's team is an inspiring example of how women can make a tremendous difference at the grassroot level towards the Swachh Bharat Mission and towards the "zero waste" city model of India.

The achievement of the Manali all-women's team is a valuable lesson in sustainability for the entire country. It is a remarkable example of how women can bring about meaningful change towards the mission of a cleaner and greener India. The success of the Manali model raises the question - is your city ready to adopt the all-women conservancy model and become a trailblazer for sustainability and gender equity?

Mr. Masood Mallick, CEO, Re Sustainability, summarizes, “As we celebrate International Women's Day, it is essential to acknowledge the vital role that women play in creating sustainable communities. The all-women team in Manali is setting an example by empowering their communities to take ownership of the waste generated and making a significant contribution to the sustainable development of Chennai. Their efforts are proof that women can be powerful agents of change in building sustainable communities. At Re Sustainability Limited, we remain committed to seeking support from women and strengthening our capacity to play an active role in shaping the zero-waste cities of India. We believe that women's leadership and participation are crucial for achieving our sustainability goals and building a greener, cleaner future for generations to come.”

Re Sustainability to Recycle 30000 Tonnes of the Supertech Twin Towers Demolition Waste

Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar | The Hindu

The demolition of the Supertech twin towers has left the city with obvious remnants that need to be treated on an urgent basis. Close to 30000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste was generated within 10 seconds of the demolition event.

Re Sustainability (formerly known as Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, Asia’s leading environmental management and circular company has been given the responsibility to deal with the Construction & Demolition waste generated, to ensure efficient waste collection and recycling and resource recovery. The company will process 300 tonnes of waste daily at their state-of-art Construction & Demolition Waste processing and Recycling facility in Noida in a span of three months.

Masood Mallick, CEO, Re Sustainability, said, “Re Sustainability is happy to take up this crucial responsibility of recycling C&D waste and converting that into construction materials. We will execute and direct all our efforts to speed up the process and ensure sustainable resource recovery. Coming to our partnerships with industries, we are looking forward to witnessing great infrastructure built with the recycled materials that are exclusively made by our Construction & Demolition plant at Noida.”

Being an industry leader, Re Sustainability has pioneered several sustainable solutions across the country. The Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling plant at Sector-80, Noida has to be one of the most efficient C&D projects of the country. The PPP plant addresses the long-standing issue of construction debris dumping on roadsides, open plots and other places eradicating the potential environmental hazards. The finished recycled products from the plant include manufactured sand, aggregates, tiles, paver blocks and pre-cast concrete products. All of these products substitute sensitive natural resources.

About Re Sustainability Limited:

Re Sustainability Limited (RE), a KKR-backed company, is one of Asia’s leading providers of comprehensive environment management services. RE offers a whole gamut of environmental services and infrastructure solutions under various categories such as Waste Management – hazardous, municipal, and biomedical, MAR POL, construction waste & e-waste; Waste to Energy; Recycling – wastewater, paper, plastic, and integrated waste; Environmental Solutions such as remediation, ETPs and wastewater treatment; automated car park management and Facilities Management.

RE has a growing global footprint, including over 85 operating locations spread across India, Singapore, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Tanzania and USA. With over 25 years of operational history, RE has a dominant presence across the entire waste value chain and has been a long-standing partner in the environmental solutions space to its customers.

Re Sustainability Announces Mega Fund for Best Waste Management and Recycling Ideas; Soon Setup India’s Most Advanced Refinery for E-waste, Li-Ion Battery Recycling

Company reiterates commitment to the Earth this World Environment Day, solicits entries from within India and around the world

Re Sustainability Limited, a KKR-backed company that is Asia’s leading provider of comprehensive environment management services, has announced a mega Innovation Fund for the best waste management, recycling and circular economy ideas that have the potential to bring about transformative change.

With this, the company, on the occasion of World Environment Day, seeks to provide a platform for individuals or organizations who have innovative ideas, technologies, concepts or business models that can create sustainability impact at scale. The initiative seeks entries from around the world across 5 categories within a 30-day window.

Ideas will then be scrutinized and shortlisted by an Innovation Council made up of sustainability thought leaders and business leaders. The selected ideas will receive a financial support up to INR 5 crores and a customized incubation program including 1:1 mentoring, technology validation, go-to-market support, and where relevant, a longer-term partnership opportunity with the company.

Initial entries, in the form of a brief description of the idea, its impact potential and scalability, have to be mailed to innovation@resustainability.com on or before 05 July 2022. The relevant innovation themes include:

• Waste Segregation & Treatment Technologies
• Recycling & Resource Recovery Technologies.
• Social Inclusion & Community Engagement towards Circular Economy.
• Fuels and Energy from Waste.
• New Circular Economy and Decarbonization Business Models.

Following the first round of screening in July, up to 25 shortlisted entries will receive guidance and support from the Company towards second-level submissions and further detailing of the ideas. Up to five finally selected ideas will be taken through a structured “Innovation Funnel” approach, from Proof of Concept/ Pilot Scale onwards, eventually towards full-scale implementation.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Company also announced a number of landmark partnerships, including; a partnership with Uflex, a leading global packaging company towards recycling of Multi-Layer Plastics (MLP); and a partnership with Iris-Mec, a leading European recycling technology company for its pan-India network of ELV recycling facilities.

The company also announced that it will be shortly commissioning India’s most advanced and fully-integrated refinery for E-waste & Li-Ion battery recycling. This recycling plant has been built in Hyderabad in partnership with Reldan, a global leader in e-waste and precious metals recycling.

Masood Mallick, Joint Managing Director, Re Sustainability, commented, “At Re Sustainability, we recognize that we cannot re-imagine the future just by ourselves. Fostering an innovation ecosystem, including partnering with start-ups and incubating new ideas & technologies, is a significant enabler of environmental and social transformation. Given the sheer scale of global environmental challenges and the vulnerabilities emerging economies have towards impacts from climate change, we need to significantly accelerate our journey towards innovative environmental solutions that are faster, better and more cost-effective. The launch of the Re Sustainability Innovation Fund is a significant step towards tapping into the immense human capital and innovation potential that exists, which can potentially respond to these global-scale challenges. We look forward to working with these eco-innovators and change-agents of tomorrow.”