There are many startups abroad that mint millions with the help of innovative waste management solutions. Travelling the same journey is Jabir Karat, a Calicut-based entrepreneur. His startup, Green Worms, which started by recycling about 200 kilograms of wastes daily, now processes up to 30,000 kilograms of waste. Green Worms carry out waste management activities in major South Indian cities with a headcount of 142 employees. Green Worms has carried out business worth Rs 4 Cr last year alone. Started with a capital of Rs. 6 Lakh, it took 5 years for Green Worms to establish their roots in the market.
After graduating from Delhi University, Jabir was awarded Gandhi Fellowship from Kaivalya Education Foundation. Jabir says that the opportunity to work among the slum dwellers of Mumbai led him to the idea of waste management.
Green Worms workers collect waste from hotels, flats, villas and factories in the urban region. Kudumbashree women are entrusted with collecting wastes. Plastic bags, slippers and clothes are collected from homes. The collected items will be categorized into different grades and sent for recycling.
Green Worms collect wastes from institutions and sell them as raw materials for a fee. Mineral water bottles will be charged at Rs 26 per kilogram and milk packets at Rs. 14. As the consumer culture is gaining prominence, waste generation will also keep increasing. Proper processing of waste will become a necessity. That’s where Jabir’s initiative gains relevance.
