On the last Sunday of every month, a lane in Mumbai's Shivaji Park becomes a collection point for dry waste. Residents bring paper, plastic, glass, e-waste, clothes, books and household items for recycling, reuse and upcycling. Volunteers receive, weigh and sort every donation before it is sent to the appropriate recycler or organisation. What began with six volunteers and 450 grams of plastic has grown into a community initiative attracting participants from across Mumbai. From Covid volunteers to community dry waste recyclers The origins of the initiative lie in an entirely different crisis. During the Covid-19 pandemic, residents of Madhli…

The consequences of poor waste management are visible across communities near our own in Chennai. In Tiruvanchery, waste dumped and burnt close to residential areas has caused breathing difficulties, mosquito nuisance, and raised concerns about groundwater contamination. Such conditions don’t begin at dumping grounds alone; they start at home, when recyclable, biodegradable, and non-recyclable materials are discarded together.   For many years, the approach has been standard: collect mixed household waste and transport it to dumping yards. While this may appear convenient, it is neither sustainable nor environmentally responsible. In our own community of SSM Nagar, Perungaluthur, only about 50% of…