SBV’s waste management centre is in Kopri, where dry waste is segregated along with floral and garden waste. “Nearly 8,000 women in the city are rag pickers, and it was important to provide them with a life of dignity. We encouraged people to segregate their waste; we have also started collecting dry waste from housing societies with the help of the municipal corporations’ garbage trucks,” shares Ulhas Karle, director at SBV. Today, one lakh homes in the district contribute to this initiative and give away their collected dry waste every two weeks. Currently, their projects include converting floral waste to manure, garden and horticulture waste to fuel briquettes, upcycling garbage to coal, and plastic to furnace oil. “We approach people to donate old and used goods such as books, toys, antiques, gadgets, musical instruments and furniture. We upcycle these items and include them in our book and scraps library at minimum cost for individuals who cannot afford them otherwise,” CEO Bhatu Sawant informs us.

Ulhas Karle

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Since this activity was managed on Whatsapp, and in order to bring more structure to the process, they developed a pan-India app called the Recycled Earth in early 2020. Citizens keen to know more can sign up for their workshops and seminars where they are taught about terrace gardening, home and society-level composting, as well as waste segregation.

At: Project Revitalization, Thane Municipal Corporation Sewage Treatment Plant, Daulat Nagar, Thane East
Log on to: recycledearth.com to contribute or @therecycledearth on Instagram