Tree · Pune, Maharashtra, India
SWaCH Pune Seva Sahakari Sanstha
A cooperative wholly owned by Pune's waste pickers, collecting door to door across the city
Since 2008Works across the regionDeccan Plateau
- waste pickers
- cooperative
- door-to-door collection
- recycling
- composting
- reuse drives
SWaCH is India's first cooperative wholly owned by self-employed waste collectors and other urban poor, born from the KKPKP waste pickers' union. Its 4,000+ members collect segregated waste from around a million Pune households each day, recover and sell recyclables, compost, and run V-Collect drives that keep reusable goods in circulation.
SWaCH formed in 2008 through an agreement between Pune Municipal Corporation and the KKPKP union, after a pilot that began in 2005. It is governed by founder members and elected worker representatives. The cooperative reports 82,891 tonnes recycled a year and large savings for the city. Its Red Dot campaign tackles safe disposal of sanitary waste, and its Diwali Declutter V-Collect drives gather clothes, e-waste and household items for reuse.
What they need
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- Contract renewals and fair terms with the city
- Household segregation at source
- Producer responsibility from brands
What they offer
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- Doorstep segregated waste collection
- V-Collect reuse and declutter drives
- A proven cooperative model for waste picker integration
- Red Dot sanitary waste campaign