Climate1 min read

Bhopal woman's 'Kachra Cafe' turns waste into food, recycles 45 tonnes

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The program operates by having residents bring sorted recyclables to a central collection site where items are weighed and credited at set rates. Participants receive credits called Kachra Coins or Kachra Currency, which they can redeem for meals, drinks, and essential products at participating outlets. For instance, participants earn set values such as Rs 15 per kilogram for paper and up to Rs 600 per kilogram for metals like copper. Organizers hope this model of rewarding segregation can ultimately be replicated across other cities.

Key points

  • Providing immediate financial rewards through special currency incentivizes residents to…: Providing immediate financial rewards through special currency incentivizes residents to consistently segregate household waste.
  • Direct collaboration with municipal authorities helps funnel discarded materials straight…: Direct collaboration with municipal authorities helps funnel discarded materials straight into verified recycling streams.
  • The project demonstrates an adaptable blueprint for other urban areas seeking to reduce m…: The project demonstrates an adaptable blueprint for other urban areas seeking to reduce municipal landfill waste.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Old newspapers, empty plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and discarded household items usually end up in a waste bin or are sold to a scrap dealer. But in Bhopal, these everyday items can help people get a meal, a cup of coffee or other essentials. Homemaker Anjita Sabhlok started Kachra Cafe, an initiative that allows residents to exchange recyclable household waste for food, drinks and everyday products.

In just eight months, the initiative has sent more than 45 tonnes of waste for recycling. The idea is to make waste segregation more than an environmental responsibility by giving people a practical reason to do it.

According to the official website of

Kachra Cafe, Sabhlok launched it through her NGO, Mannat, in collaboration with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation. The initiative aims to encourage residents to separate recyclable waste at home instead of throwing everything away together.

The question that led to Kachra Cafe

Image courtesy: Kachra Cafe

Sabhlok had been working on environmental awareness and waste management through Mannat for several years. However, she felt that educating people about the importance of waste…

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