Solid waste management is one of the biggest challenges faced by communities. Most solid waste, if not processed properly, goes to a landfill. The residents of Chennai need to be well connected with local kabadiwallas (waste collectors) to ensure that less recyclable wastes go to landfills.
Kabadiwalla Connect works with city residents and commercial establishments to provide them with solutions for waste segregation. They also help them sell the recyclable waste materials (like paper, metal scrap, glass, plastic, etc.) to the local kabadiwallas, which in turn sell it to be upcycled, or recycled for a profit.
To date, the Chennai Hub has undertaken the following activities:
Kabadiwalla Connect is no longer a hub project but has evolved into a full-time organization providing decentralized waste management solutions and technology for cities in the developing world. It has prevented 1.25 lakh kilo of PET bottles from entering into landfills. To date, 2,000 kabadiwallas have been listed, 100 of whom have specialized and professionalized with Kabadiwalla Connect. Kabadiwalla Connect is now one of the leading organizations driving Chennai’s solid waste management.