Much of the waste we produce need not go straight to the landfill. With proper management, plastic crisp packets are recycled and repurposed, while banana peels and eggshells become soil. Hygiene waste items, such as used menstrual products, however, are destined for the dump or incinerator. This represents a significant environmental challenge.
That’s where concerted community efforts can make a big difference. A group in Kannamangala transformed their waste management practices through the support of Stone Soup, an organisation based in Bengaluru. Founded by Malini Parmar, Stone Soup is dedicated to sustainable waste management and menstrual hygiene initiatives, and it has become a pivotal player in the city’s waste management transformation.
In 2013, Stone Soup facilitated the creation of Namma Swachha Kannamangala (NSK), or ‘Our Clean Kannamangala,’ a waste management programme in a Panchayat on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Additionally, Stone Soup supported the formation of the Bharathambe Sanjivini Self Help Group (SHG), a group of local women committed to keeping the community clean.
A community-led waste management programme
The Kannamangala Panchayat previously struggled with waste management. Bins were perpetually full, and waste was often found in plastic covers. Local women, concerned about the overflowing waste, stepped forward to seek a cleaner environment. They engaged with the Panchayat, which provided funds and structure for a waste management system. Stone Soup’s support was instrumental in setting up this system, which now serves 6,000 households, split between higher-income residents and village dwellers.
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The programme has achieved measurable results. According to Malini, Kannamangala reduced landfill waste by 80% through source segregation and use of sustainable menstrual products. Moreover, the women involved in the programme educate residents on waste segregation. Residents categorise waste into wet, dry, and reject, in colour-coded bins supplied by the Panchayat. The SHG then collects and transports waste to a local processing centre.
Financing and successes
One of the main hurdles has been financing the labour required to sustain the programme. Initially funded by the Panchayat for six months, the programme now generates revenue by selling dry waste, which is compressed into blocks and sold to vendors. Additionally, user fees are collected from apartments. However, the programme is not yet fully self-sustaining.
Marshals are employed to patrol and fine individuals who improperly dispose of waste, which helps maintain the system’s integrity. Despite these measures, the programme continues to face challenges in achieving complete financial independence.
The Rural Development Panchayat Raj Department provides free training for women to become waste managers in their communities. Launched in 2022, the programme was set up for women to engage with and strengthen their communities and foster financial independence.
“Now I know that waste is a resource, not just something to be discarded,” SHG member Sumangala says. “Using that resource, it can be converted into a business model where you can earn money.”
Lakshmi, community coordinator for SHG, believes that the Stone Soup and SHG model can be emulated by any community across the nation.
“Waste segregation — wet, dry, and sanitary waste. With only these three points, any government can involve women in this project and they can earn money and stay independent. Being independent is necessary,” she says.
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Sustainable menstrual products: A new approach
Waste management processes were just one piece in reducing waste. Stone Soup also promoted and educated village residents on the sustainable menstrual products. According to Malini, they provided 2,000 women in Kannamangala with free products, including menstrual cups and reusable cotton pads.
The training emphasises the environmental benefits of using menstrual cups and reusable pads compared to disposable products. They also informed villagers of the harmful chemicals found in many pads and tampons.
Latha, supervisor at the SHG processing centre, found that Stone Soup’s approach to menstruation education resonated with the community.
“Pads and menstrual cups are very personal, so people don’t share much, especially in villages,” Latha says. “The trainings are very open, and there is no shyness. They were happy that someone is coming to the village with this openness.”
Stone Soup’s menstrual education philosophy has changed over the years. Their initial approach largely disregarded traditional Indian practices as outdated. They got feedback from young women in the sessions, who felt the modern approach to learning about periods is overly clinical. In schools, doctors are usually the ones who educate about periods, so the students had begun to view menstruation as an ailment.
“We had literally made periods a disease in the minds of girls,” says Malini.
They changed their strategy in the ‘Period Love, Bleed Green’ campaign. The emphasis was on the benefits of periods — maturity and “beauty hormones,” as well as bonding and comradery among other women. They encourage the women to track cycles, and notice the changes that happen in their minds and bodies.
From volunteerism to corporate leadership
Before starting Stone Soup, Malini was a corporate professional first, then a volunteer and then became an activist. Her work in menstrual hygiene products started off as a venture in waste management, as well.
“People kept saying, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is,” she says. “You will have more impact if you make and sell these products as a business.”
Stone Soup has three corporations: for profits in composting and sanitary waste, and Stone Soup Trust, a nonprofit that operates largely through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding.
Stone Soup implemented a pilot programme to reduce sanitary waste in a Telangana ward in 2018. The programme was funded by a grant from Social Ventures Partners (SVP) India. They gave out free reusable menstrual products and educated the community on sanitary waste. Over a six month period, the ward saw an 84% conversion to reusable sanitary products and a reduction of sanitary waste, from 90 kg to 17 kg collected daily, according to Malini.
Through their approaches in waste management and menstrual hygiene, Stone Soup hopes to set an example of how community-led initiatives can drive environmental and social change. Shantah, a programme manager for Stone Soup Trust, believes that the need for effective menstrual waste management is more urgent now than ever.
“India is a heavily populated country,” Shantah says, “If we are unable to manage menstrual waste on a daily basis, we will wreak havoc on the environment.”