BASF India, Green Worms (Serve Rural) and the Indian Polyurethane Association inaugurated a CSR-funded mechanical recycling facility for post-industrial footwear polyurethane waste in Manjeri, Malappuram district, Keralam on 14 October 2026.
The plant sets up a collection, segregation and recycling network that diverts the waste from landfills and converts it into products such as indoor floor mats for rural schools. In its first phase the project is expected to benefit around 4,000 school children from underprivileged backgrounds and create livelihood opportunities for waste collectors and recycling workers.
Alexander Gerding, Managing Director of BASF India Limited and Head of BASF Group companies, said sustainability creates the greatest value when it benefits both people and the environment, and that the facility marks an important milestone in advancing the collection, mechanical recycling and repurposing of footwear polyurethane waste in India. Jabir Karat, CEO and co-founder of Green Worms, described the facility as an important step toward addressing industrial polyurethane waste through a practical and circular approach. Harneet Kochar, Chairman of the Indian Polyurethane Association, said the initiative shows how industry collaboration can create practical and scalable solutions for polyurethane mechanical waste management.
Market Research Outlook: Mechanical recycling of post-industrial footwear polyurethane is still a niche activity in India. The facility demonstrates a workable low-complexity route that reduces landfill volumes and produces secondary products, but its CSR funding and limited first-phase scale leave commercial viability unproven. Broader adoption will require consistent feedstock from the footwear sector, acceptance of the recycled material, and any future extended producer responsibility rules covering polyurethane waste.
