Madhya Pradesh has quietly become a hotspot for the illegal import and processing of scrap tyres, an industry operating in the shadows, far from regulatory oversight. What began as a waste-management solution has morphed into a hazardous network of pyrolysis units that burn imported tyres from the U.K., U.S., and Australia, releasing toxic emissions into nearby farms, water sources, and settlements. Despite clear prohibitions under India’s Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules (2016), weak enforcement has allowed a thriving black market to grow. With 64 units identified in the state and 37 still operational industrial belts in Indore, Bhopal, and Morena now sit at the centre of a silent environmental crisis threatening public health, ecosystems, and local livelihoods.
Read our Issue Brief to dive deeper into how this hidden industry operates and what it means for communities on the frontlines.
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