Kollam district has turned waste management into a lucrative environmental victory, generating over ₹29 crore during the 2025-26 financial year by recycling non-biodegradable waste. Under the Clean Kerala Company Limited (CKCL), the district successfully collected and processed 2,797 tonnes of inorganic waste, demonstrating the financial and ecological viability of decentralised waste management models.

To further boost the efficiency of clean-up drives, local authorities are planning a groundbreaking shift: directly compensating households that systematically segregate and hand over dry solid waste to the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS). This incentive-based strategy aims to curb the consumption of single-use, non-recyclable plastics and instil robust source-segregation habits at the household level. Crucially, the standard monthly user fees currently paid by households and businesses will remain in place to fund these critical daily operations.

Under the aegis of the Haritha Keralam Mission, this green programme operates seamlessly across the district through Kudumbashree Community Development Societies (CDS). At the local government level, HKS volunteers are grouped into structured consortia. Currently, Kollam boasts of 74 HKS consortia operating across 73 local self-governing bodies, including 68 grama panchayats, four municipalities, and one municipal corporation. Led by democratically elected presidents and secretaries serving three-year terms, this network comprises 3,026 green volunteers. A safety net is also provided, with 2,553 of these members covered by comprehensive insurance policies secured through the Kudumbashree network.

The journey from household bins to recycling plants is governed by a meticulous five-tier processing system. First, HKS members collect dry waste monthly from households and commercial establishments, charging a nominal fee of ₹50 and ₹100 respectively. This collected waste is then delivered to ward-level or cluster-level Mini Material Collection Facilities (MCFs). From these local hubs, the waste is transported by local authorities to centralised Panchayat Material Collection Facilities, where it undergoes rigorous sorting and categorisation. Recyclable segments are then sold to certified agencies under local contracts, with the pricing determined by the weight of the sorted material. For non-recyclable or low-value plastic waste, panchayats pay the contracting agency a processing fee ranging from ₹7 to ₹10 per kilogram to ensure environmentally sound disposal.