Did you know that segregating waste before sending out your trash can up their chances of getting recycled instead of being dumped with all the non-biodegradable waste? Waste management is as important as lowering the quantity generated. By doing that, you would play a crucial part in creating a zero-waste world.
Saahas Zero Waste does exactly that for your institutions, residences, and corporates. Bringing together “nature, people and technology” they create waste management solutions in a way that maximises “resource-recovery.”
Founded more than a decade ago by Wilma Rodrigues, this enterprise is a firm believer in sustainable development. Wilma, Founder and CEO, was a journalist with the right aims- advocating for holistic management of waste, which decreases the number of utile objects from going to the landfills. This way, a lesser area is covered for a dumping area, which is a plus point for the soil.
On top of being one of the best innovative methods of reversing environmental degradation, it is beneficial for human health too. When waste is segregated, every object in the trash can be picked for a particular purpose, for example, any of the 4 Rs of sustainability. This is convenient for the waste managers at the landfill, bringing down the chance of having to work with something hazardous like glass, toxic chemicals, grease and oils or medical waste. When these components are eliminated during waste segregation, they do not end up in the water bodies either, keeping the natural resources free from impurities.
Altering waste streams
Saahas Zero Waste keeps a close check on the waste throughout the process: right from collecting it to sending it to authorised destinations, diverting the waste streams from the landfills. Apart from offering services to private companies, Saahas is registered as a vendor with the government in Bengaluru, Noida and Chennai; along with the State Bank of India as a client.
In 2012, Saahas inaugurated a waste management centre called ‘Kasa Rasa’ in Koramangala, Bengaluru. The centre made it easy for residents, as they could come and drop their waste there. In the case of offices, Kasa Rasa has the facility for composting food waste in the form of an Organic Waste Converter, a shredder and multiple curing tanks.
The centres function at a rate of two tonnes of waste per day. When more and more clients started availing its services, Saahas increased its scope through a Materials Recovery Facility. By sorting the waste, a lot of resources like metals, paper, plastics, etc can be recovered and sold to other buyers, provided there is no contamination. The MRF, established in 2017, has the capacity to manage more than 15 tonnes of waste per day.
Bin to bin
Saahas is not just managing your bulk waste, but giving you tips on reducing the waste generated initially, providing recommendations if you are seeking eco-friendly goods to use, and training your team on understanding waste segregation.
The company encourages the ‘bin-to-bin’ system, where the use of plastic dustbin liners is eradicated. Starting from customising diaries made of recycled paper to inculcating eco-conscious behaviour in young people, the enterprise now creates a plethora of products made from recycled waste like pens, notebooks, home décor, photo-frames and what not! Its clothes-swapping activity is indeed a ‘closing-the-loop’ initiative.
The company aims at managing 500+ tonnes of waste per day by 2026. By doing such work, Saahas is also accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals to facilitate economic development by engaging people from different sectors like waste picking, sorting, recycling and more; women empowerment by evidently diversifying their workforce; and climate change by the very service they are known for.
Saahas has created the space for waste pickers to work with the Centre’s actions closely. This has allowed the workers to grow their income as well as experience more, in a respectful and healthy manner.
The fruits of Ethical Work
The company that started as an NGO has had its work recognised by the people it caters to, and also by the government. It was listed as one of the top 12 Social Enterprises by NDTV in 2016. Four years ago, it was awarded the Namma Bengaluru Award. Adding another feather to the cap, the Saahas CEO Wilma Rodrigues received the Waislitz Global Citizen Award in 2017.
