Responsible Waste Management | Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ)

Responsible material stewardship and efficient waste management are integral to our sustainability strategy and operational excellence. Our approach to waste management is grounded in the principles of sustainable consumption, resource conservation, and circularity. By prioritising reduction, recovery, and recycling across the value chain, we aim not only to lower our environmental footprint but also to achieve measurable cost savings, improve operational productivity, and instil pride among our workforce.

Our Approach to Waste and Material Stewardship

We follow a lifecycle-based approach to waste management, minimising the use of natural resources and toxic materials while reducing waste generation at the source.

To strengthen our governance systems, we conduct waste audits with the aim to identify opportunities for improving waste performance

Action plans are developed to reduce waste generation across our operations, including ports, terminals, logistics assets, and industrial locations, each of which adheres strictly to regulatory frameworks governing waste management

In line with our circularity commitments, we set quantified targets annually to minimise waste generation, and make investments in innovation or R&D to continuously improve waste minimisation technologies and processes

Marine pollution being a material issue for our stakeholders, we deploy authorised treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) to effectively manage all forms of port-related waste – dredged material, oily mixtures, ship-generated garbage, cargo residue, municipal waste, and industrial discharges. All ship-borne hazardous waste is handled exclusively through authorised vendors

Hazardous waste, biomedical waste, e-waste, and lead acid battery waste are disposed of in accordance with the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) regulations and relevant national rules, such as the E Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Batteries Waste Management Rules, 2016

Driving Circularity Through the 5R Framework

Our “Zero Waste to Landfill” initiative for waste empowers us to continually embed the 5R philosophy – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, and Reprocess – across all APSEZ facilities. This approach enables efficient resource recovery and boosts circularity within our operations.

Key highlights:

12 of our sites have achieved Zero Waste to Landfill status, reflecting our progress in sustainable operations

Non-biodegradable recyclables like paper, plastic, and scrap are routed to authorised recyclers

Non-recyclable refuse derived fuel (RDF) is co-processed in cement plants

Biodegradable waste is recycled into manure

We have eliminated single-use plastics across all sites

STP sludge is utilised as a soil conditioner

Employees receive ongoing training on best practices in responsible waste disposal

Our waste management measures contribute directly to our long-term goal of achieving zero waste across the organisation while fostering a circular economy mindset.

Performance in FY 2025-26

We monitor progress on waste management using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as:

Total waste generated (hazardous and non-hazardous)
Share of waste managed under 5R principles
Waste recycled, reused, reprocessed, or recovered
Quantum of waste disposed through landfill or incineration
Waste intensity (MT/Crore revenue)

In FY 2025-26

99% of all waste was processed under the 5R principles. Of the total waste handled,

66%was recycled

3%was reused

26%was reprocessed

4%was recovered

A total of 6,888 MT of metal scrap was sold for recycling, supporting circular economy initiatives, and enabling secondary raw material markets. All our sites have successfully eliminated single-use plastics.

Execution against targets (FY 2025-26)

Indicator	Target	Status
Zero waste to landfill	12 ports	12 ports

Waste processing breakdown (MT)

	FY 2021-22	FY 2022-23	FY 2023-24	FY 2024-25	FY 2025-26
Waste recycled/reused (MT)*	10,468	11,108	10,390	9,657	13,817
Total waste disposed (MT)	2,527	2,216	2,191	2,688	919
Waste landfilled (MT)	1,694	944	893	2,088	169
Waste incinerated with energy recovery (MT)	710	1,132	953	508	359
Waste incinerated without energy recovery (MT)	123	140	345	92	391
Waste otherwise disposed (MT)	0	0	0	0	0

*includes recovered and repurposed method too

Waste Intensity (MT/Crore)

We remain committed to achieving a 20% reduction in waste intensity by 2030, from the baseline.

FY 2025-26 Waste Disposal Summary

APSEZ disposed:

6,432 MTof hazardous waste

10 MTof biomedical waste

51 MTof E-waste

166 MTof lead acid battery waste

Additionally, 6,888 MT of metal scrap was redirected for recycling.

Waste by Category

	FY 2022-23	FY 2023-24	FY 2024-25	FY 2025-26
Bio-Medical Waste (MT)	10	125	15	10
Battery Waste (MT)	13	56	37	166
E-Waste (MT)	111	82	58	51
Hazardous Waste (MT)	1,324	2,307	5,975	6,432
Non-Hazardous Waste (MT)	13,792	10,073	5,777	7,152
Construction & Demolition Waste (MT)	0	0	165	235
Plastic Waste (MT)	894	591	318	313