In Varkala municipality, Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members who do door-to-door waste collection take the 3Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle—very seriously.

Each time they organise a waste collection drive during which, along with plastic, clothes are collected, they sort them and send those that are grubby, faded, or worn out for recycling to Powergreen Eco Solutions at Oonninmoodu. The clothes that are worth salvaging are cleaned and then stocked at a swap shop, giving a new lease of life to pre-loved clothes that otherwise would just have taken up space in cupboards without benefit to anyone.

“People can come and pick up saris, kids’ wear, and even nighties at the swap shop. The best part is it is free. There is good demand for products in the swap shop, with people coming from as far away as Kollam to pick up wearable clothes,” says Bindu S., secretary of the HKS consortium, who, along with president Shibitha S.S., guides the HKS activities.

Repurposing scraps

In another step towards upcycling waste, the HKS members collect scraps of cloth left over at scores of tailoring shops in Varkala. These would normally be dumped in a waste bin and would ultimately end up in a landfill, but a 10-member microenterprise group trained in tailoring is repurposing them as colourful footmats and pillows.

The group was recently granted a loan from the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP), says Ms. Bindu. The funds would be used to purchase machinery for making uniforms, emblems, and so on.

The HKS members also stitch cloth bags for green protocol events in Varkala, such as ‘Karkidaka Vavu.’

Bulb repair

In Ottoor panchayat of Varkala block, five members of Ottoor HKS take up not only waste collection duties but also make and repair LED bulbs. Geetha, secretary of the consortium, says they bid for panchayat tenders that need LED bulbs for lamp posts. These could be for supply of 1,500-2,000 bulbs. In a day, the five members can ready up to 5,000 bulbs. “They also make LED bulbs for houses, and repair the bulbs too.”

Four HKS members are involved in making inoculum, which is used in green bins in panchayats to turn wet waste into rich compost. The members take orders and make the inoculum.

Three of the members, as part of event management activities, rent out steel utensils for functions in a bid to reduce plastic use, says Ms. Geetha.

Published - July 27, 2026 04:59 pm IST