Indian cities recycle coconut waste into products like coir and bio-CNG, creating jobs and capturing 40% of the global coir market.

Indian cities are turning coconut waste into economic and environmental gains through recycling initiatives under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0. Coastal urban areas like Mysuru, Madurai, Chennai, and Kochi process husks and shells into cocopeat, coir, compost, and bio-CNG, with over 7.5 million people—mostly women in self-help groups—involved. These efforts have achieved near-total recycling in some cities and enabled India to capture over 40% of the $1.45 billion global coir market, exporting to the U.S., China, and the Netherlands. Government schemes provide funding and subsidies, supporting sustainable waste management and green energy projects.