According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, India produces 62 million tonnes of waste per year with an equivalent value of $625 billion. This is roughly 25% of India’s GDP. Proper salvaging of waste and recycling not only leads to the generation of economic value but also reduces the burden on natural resources.
With this in mind, Angraj Swami, a student of Delhi University, came up with the concept of ECO, Waste, and Resource Action Programme (ECOWARP) in May 2017. He was later joined by three of his friends- Utsav Goyal (a graduate of Manipal University Jaipur), Gourav Sanghai, and Sarthak Vijayvergiya.
The company has a multi-pronged approach to tackle the pressing issue. First, it aims to educate the population on waste segregation techniques. It has even started a monetization scheme for inorganic waste where a person can exchange waste for cash.
The food and hospitality sector is known for its high-quantity waste generation. ECOWARP has tied up with hotel and restaurant chains to provide them with comprehensive waste management solutions. Prominent brands that are serviced by the company include Barbeque Nation, Oyo Rooms, Kebab & Curries, Bikanervala, etc.
It has in its arsenal waste disposal units for processing inorganics like plastic and glass; it is now in the process of commissioning a 20 ton/month metal recycling plant. One source of revenue for ECOWRAP is the sale of recycled goods to the industry. It is also into the development of home furnishing products from scrap waste like waste glass and discarded tyres. Some of the products produced from recycled material are shown below.
Logistics plays a key role in the company’s operations. It aims to make full use of emerging technologies like IoT, Blockchain, and Cloud. It is developing state-of-the-art solutions like Dustbins equipped with IoT based sensors, Optimisation of vehicle routes during waste collection, and Analytics software to predict waste generation.
ECOWARP has received rave reviews from its clients. The communicative and service-oriented nature of the team makes it the go-to firm for waste management solutions. Another attractive feature is the barter system that the company has on offer. Tanuj Singh Naruka of LSD Cafe, Jaipur recommends the company as it provides paper straws in exchange of collected scrap. The company has also been invited by the Municipal Corporations of Surat, Bhubaneshwar, and Guwahati for implementing waste management projects.
In the near future, recycling is going to be taken very seriously. The reverse supply chain is going to become as important as the forward supply chain. Futurists predict that nations will legislate laws in which a company will be liable if its product is seen lying around in a wasteful manner. In such a scenario, the effort of companies like ECOWRAP needs to be appreciated.
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