Famous for the Taj Mahal, Agra is also the main center of shoe manufacturing in India, meeting 65% of domestic demand. However, the large scale of urban construction poses environmental challenges. A recent study by the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) shows the huge amount of waste produced by the Agra shoe industry, which shows that it generates 45 tonnes of waste every day. This figure adds to the 978 tonnes of municipal solid waste that Agra generates every day. The CSE study titled Shoe Waste Management in Agra: An Educational Appraisal was released during a multi-stakeholder workshop jointly organized by CSE and Agra Municipal Corporation (AMC).
The research indicates that the formal footwear manufacturing sector contributes over 31 tonnes of waste daily, while the informal sector, which operates largely from homes, adds more than 13 tonnes. Alarmingly, only 57% of the informal sector’s waste is collected by AMC, with the remaining 43% being improperly disposed of, either dumped in open spaces, drains, or incinerated. At the workshop, Atin Biswas, Programme Director of CSE’s Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy unit, explained that the research involved mapping manufacturing units, quantifying footwear waste, and evaluating current waste management practices.
The findings emphasize the urgent need for enhanced waste management strategies and infrastructure. Participants included over 70 representatives from various organizations, including AMC, the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), and footwear industry associations. Kuldeep Choudhary, the lead author of the report, said shoe waste contains many different materials such as leather, textiles, synthetic polymers, hazardous materials and metals. He highlighted the opportunity to uplift informal sector workers by supporting them to adopt sustainable practices and improve waste management. There are several methods supported by research to address the waste management problem. Recommendations include creating a comprehensive database of all shoe manufacturing units, revising existing regulations, deploying a dedicated waste collection vehicle and implementing monitoring measures. In addition, the report recommends promoting the reuse of shoe waste materials, supporting mechanization in domestic industries and establishing recycling facilities. CSE’s Siddharth Jay Singh emphasized that a sustainable shoe waste management system should be governed by the “polluter pays” principle, similar to producer responsibility guidelines for plastic waste. The report urges the footwear sector to share responsibility in waste management and support the Agra Municipal Corporation’s efforts to create an eco-system.