The Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project of Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India crossed the milestone of recovering over 1,000 tons of plastic waste from Thiruvananthapuram's rivers and waterways over four years, preventing it from reaching the Arabian Sea.

"This is equivalent to removing 50 million plastic bottles from the city's waterbodies – if kept end-to-end, the bottles would stretch to 12,000 km, which exceeds the coastline of India," an Allianz Group statement said. 

The achievement was formally announced at an event held in Thiruvananthapuram today. The project is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the two Global Capability Centers (GCCs) of Allianz Group in India.

The project has been funded entirely by Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India, who have together invested more than ₹5 crores (€500,000) from CSR funds in the project.

"Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in Kerala are not merely engines of economic growth – they are responsible corporate citizens who invest in the communities and ecosystems that sustain them. This milestone also reinforces a powerful message to global investors: Kerala's industrial growth is inseparable from its commitment to environmental excellence”, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty said at the function where the achievement was announced.

“What makes the 'Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project' particularly commendable is its sustained, systematic approach,” said Mons Joseph, the minister for water resources. “I urge corporates, local bodies, and citizens alike to draw inspiration from this model,” he said.

Minister for local self-government K M Shaji called upon local bodies in Kerala, including Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, to draw inspiration from this model and replicate such conservation measures in their jurisdictions. 

“I call upon our Panchayats, Municipalities, and the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram to draw inspiration from this model and deepen their collaboration with initiatives of this nature,” said K.M Shaji, Minister for Local Self Government. 

Barbara Karuth-Zelle, Member of the Board of Management (Responsible for Allianz Services and Allianz Technology) and Group COO, Allianz SE, said that reaching the 1,000-ton milestone was incredibly meaningful for Allianz. "Every piece of plastic removed from rivers is one less harming the ocean. It reflects a clear conviction: to protect biodiversity and ocean health, we must act upstream. This is about more than cleanup – it’s about lasting change: creating jobs, raising awareness, and transforming how communities manage waste, Karuth-Zelle said.

Nonetheless, she said that this was just the beginning. "Preventing plastic pollution at scale requires deeper collaboration, systemic solutions and long-term commitment – because caring for tomorrow means protecting the ecosystems that sustain life today,” said Karuth-Zelle.

The Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project deploys low-cost floating barriers called TrashBooms to intercept plastic waste in rivers and urban waterways. Today, 15 TrashBoom systems operate across critical sites – including Thampanoor thodu, Ulloor thodu, Pattom thodu, Thekkinakara canal, Amayizhanchan thodu, Karamana river, Killi river, Kariyil thodu, and Thettiyar canal – collecting and removing plastic waste daily.

"This industry-led initiative helps local authorities mitigate urban flood risks, protecting tech infrastructure and enhancing the liveability index that attracts global talent to the city," the Allianz release said.

Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India run this initiative in association with NGO partners Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation, deploying technology from Plastic Fischer, Germany. The project provides local employment and is supported by three Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) at Injakkal, Venpalavattom and Vallakadavu, managed by Plastic Fischer's team of 23 professionals is responsible for recovery, transportation, segregation and shipping. 

Collected non-recyclable plastic is transported to the Thiruvananthapuram MRFs and subsequently co-processed at the plants of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited in Tamil Nadu, while recyclable plastic is repurposed locally, including into TrashBins now installed at Veli Beach.  

Globally, nine million tons of plastic reach the oceans every year. In Thiruvananthapuram, 79 per cent of the debris on major water banks is plastic, and the Karamana and Killi rivers have the highest microplastic densities in the region. "Without intervention, plastic is projected to outweigh fish in the world's oceans by 2050 – a stark reality that makes this milestone all the more significant," an Allianz release said.

In 2025, Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India launched grassroots-level programs in Puthenthope, Kadinamkulam and Veli, in association with NGO partners Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation, marking a strategic shift towards preventive waste management.

"The initiative encourages visitors, local merchants, and residents to dispose of waste responsibly," the statement said. 

The project has also earned endorsement from the UN Ocean Decade. "What began in Thiruvananthapuram is now being replicated by others in Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kanpur, and Varanasi – demonstrating that structured, long-term action backed by strong partnerships can deliver real, scalable impact," the release said.

Allianz established its Global Capability Centres (GCCs) as one of the early tenants of Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. They are among the first GCCs in Kerala and today employ over 6,600 professionals, making Thiruvananthapuram Allianz's largest GCC location by headcount globally.

Allianz Services is the AI-powered value accelerator for Allianz Group, one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers, and Allianz Technology India is a key delivery centre for Allianz Technology and a strategic hub within the Allianz Group's global IT and digital transformation strategy.