The Intervention (2019-2023)

Following the signing of a MoU wherein the Coonoor Municipality would be responsible for the collection and transport of the waste and Clean Coonoor for its disposal, both the organisation and the local body faced an uphill task as this hill town is plagued with hurdles such as topography, lack of adequate workforce, high transportation costs, and near absence of suitable markets for disposal of recyclables.

Through trail and error the efforts succeeded, and after a period of 4 years, a comprehensive waste management programme is now in place.

Leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of tomorrow.

The Time Line of Events

Accumulated Waste

Legacy Waste Removal

Landscaping

Setting up the RRC

Inaguration of the 2 TPD Resource Recovery Centre by the District Collector, Ms. J. Innocent Divya IAS

Innovations

The 4 TPD Unit

Newer Equipment

The Present Full Fledged Unit

The Experimental Composting Unit

Initial Trails

Additional Machinery

Improvements

Assuring Environmental Safety

Inaguration by the Principal Secretary for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ms. Supriya Sahu IAS

The present 8 TPD Composting Unit

Legacy Waste removed and landscaping done
2 TPD Resource Recovery Centre established and made functional from Oct 2019
Handling Capacity of the Resource Recovery Centre increased to 5 TPD by the end of 2020
4 TPD Composting Unit established and made functional since Dec 2021
Composting Unit upgraded to handle 8 TPD from March 2022
All recyclable waste collected and transported to their respective facilities – non-recyclables disposed as per Pollution Control Board Norms
The undertaking has presently evolved as a technically sustainable model which can be emulated in similar settings elsewhere in this district and in other hill towns.

The Resource Recovery Centre

Dry Waste collected here is re-sorted into recyclables and non recyclables, and dealt with accordingly. Designated Recyclables are either despatched to aggregators or recyclers, or to waste to energy plants, whereas non-recyclables are dealt within the premises as per Pollution Control Board Norms.

The Wet Waste Processing Unit

Butcher Residue, Fibrous Waste and Kitchen Leftovers are mixed in a ratio of 1:1:5-6 and then pulverised prior being heaped in windrows for composting. Once mature the composted material is sieved, bagged and sold chiefly to floriculturists and horticulturists at a nominal price.

The Impact

FAQs

Are all types of plastic waste recyclable?

Yes, in one form or the other, while most types can be handled by primary or secondary recycling methods, the bulk can be dealt only either by tertiary methods whereby the plastic is broken down to extract oil, or through quaternary recycling which involves co-processing plastic waste as fuel.

But recycling is not an end by itself, focus should be on the 4 ‘Rs’ which have a much lower carbon footprint – ‘Refuse – Reduce – Reuse – Repurpose.’

What is mismanaged plastic waste?

Mismanaged plastic waste is waste that is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills. It includes materials burned in open pits, dumped into seas or open waters, ordisposed of in unsanitary landfills and dumpsites.

What are the consequences of mismanaged plastic waste

Unlike other materials, plastic does not biodegrade. It can take up to 1,000 years to break down, so when it is discarded, it builds up in the environment until it reaches a crisis point. This pollution chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health impacts.

How can I help?

While the plastic pollution crisis needs systemic reform, individual choices do make a difference. Such as shifting behaviour to avoid single-use plastic products whenever possible. If plastic products are unavoidable, they should be reused or repurposed until they can no longer be used – at which point they should be recycled or disposed of properly. Bring bags to the grocery store, and if possible, striving to purchase locally sourced and seasonal food options that require less plastic packaging and transport.

Our Patrons

All our activities are funded by donors & well wishers. We welcome contributions, to help us fund our operations. We would like to place on record the list of organisations that support us.