We as an organization are dedicated to transform waste into utilizable resources without exploiting the people or the planet. We specialize in designing and implementing end to end decentralized waste management solutions for our clients, which range from municipal corporations, corporates, townships, school and college campuses. We provide technological solutions in form of biogas plants and composting for the biodegradable waste while the rest is sent to our recycling partners. Through our projects we attempt provide livelihood to the waste-pickers and give them a better social stature. We organize and train them to operate and maintain the waste management projects that we develop. Through our NGO partner we are connected to a network of 3000 women waste-pickers. We specialize in developing different business models to address the the pressing problem of urban waste-management in a triple bottom-lined approach of people, planet and profit.

Problem

Over the last few decades, along with the growth in the field of science and technology the question of sustainability has also come up. With the tremendous increase in strain on natural resources one of the most emerging problems today is ―Mishandling of Waste. Mumbai generates an astounding 8000 tonnes and urban India generates beyond 1,00,000 tonnes of waste daily. In spite of huge expenditures by municipal bodies, a city with only 10-15% waste handling system would be among the better cities leaving 90% of the sector unorganized. Waste management is still a non-cyclic system of collection/disposal, either in dumpsites/incineration chambers. While the decomposition of biodegradable/wet waste generates huge amounts of the most harmful greenhouse gases, only negligible parts of non-biodegradable/dry waste gets recycled.We are working to provide a holistic end-to-end waste-management solution in a stakeholders approach involving Citizen-groups/communities, Municipal Corporation, NGOs working in the field of waste-management and organizing waste-pickers.We engage waste-pickers and try to provide them alternate livelihood.

Solution

We are for Socially and Ecologically Sustainable and financially profitable Decentralized Waste Handling Units targeted for households in a locality, corporate houses, townships, school and college campuses, etc..We provide solutions for both biodegradable (food waste, horticulture waste) and non-bio-degradable waste. For bio-degradable waste we use Bio-Gas/composting solutions while the non-bio-degradable waste is channelized to recycling units leaving a very small percentage of waste going to the dumping grounds and creating zero-waste situations. We offer services from waste-auditing, choosing the right technology/solution based on the context, implementing it, and finally provide operation and maintenance of the system.For corporate houses the focus is mainly on the collection of dry waste, further sorting and selling it to recyclers.In return for the waste we provide the corporates with recycled paper products. While for housing societies, townships, school and college campuses both the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste is taken care of.A decentralized waste handling unit will ideally have, - A technologically advanced Biogas-Plant to handle Biodegradable Waste - A secondary dry-waste segregation unit for Non-Biodegradable Waste which will be later sold/processed. - If direct utility for biogas is not found a unit converting biogas into electricity.

Example

We did our pilot in TISS, Mumbai campus. To begin with we started with a waste audit. According to the amount of generated we decided to build a 500 kg biogas plant. The gas and manure generated from the plant are internally consumed, helping the institute to save thousands of rupees every month. While the plant was being built we also conducted awarness campaign to inform the students and the staff about the initiative and what role they have to play in the drive. For the dry waste we collect and channelize it to the recyclers in return providing them with recycled paper stationary. Thus no waste from the institute (except a small part of unrecyclables)goes to the dumping ground. Thus creating a zero waste scenario.

Marketplace

We partner with different stakeholders and create an eco-system which collectively creates a zero-waste scenario. Our stake-holders include Citizen Groups/Advanced Locality managers/communities, Municipal Corporations, NGOs working in the field of waste management and more importantly ―Waste-picker. For implementing the waste-management solutions we are in partnerships and getting the technological support from Bhabha Atomic Research Center and other similar organizations. For the operations and maintenance, labor contracts are being handed over to self help groups and co-operatives of waste-pickers in partnerships with NGOs organizing waste-pickers/waste-picker associations. We also maintain close relationships with different recyclers in the likes of paper/plastic/glass manufactures. The organic manure collected from bio-gas plants and compost units are being connected to the organic manure making industry. There are many small private players who are involved primarily in contracting vehcils for collection and transportation. Even few large players like Ramky has entered Mumbai in the same space.Players like A2Z have been expanding rapidly in North India offering centralized collection and transport service for entire city. There are also players who have been pushing for large central facilities like landfills and incinerator. But there aren't many players who are giving decentralized solutions in an environmentally friendly manner.