Archive · 20 Sep 2025
Pune Waste Trail: Highlighting Women in Waste Management
In Pune, a group called SWaCH helps waste pickers, mainly women, who collect and sort trash.
They take people on a 'Waste Trail' to show how it all works.
People see how the waste is picked up, separated, and sometimes turned into biogas or compost.
These waste pickers often work for themselves, which gives them a better income.
The city is considering a new way to collect waste that might reduce the waste pickers' roles and income, which SWaCH worries about.
Waste pickers, mostly women, collect and sort waste in Pune.
The Waste Trail shows the process of waste management and the work of waste pickers.
SWaCH works to improve the living conditions of waste pickers.
Waste is separated into wet and dry categories.
The PMC is considering a new waste collection system that could impact the waste pickers.
- Who
- Waste pickers like Sarika Shivsagar and SWaCH members.
- What
- The Recycling Trail or Waste Trail which shows the process of waste management in Pune.
- When
- Since 2000, SWaCH has been working to improve the conditions of waste pickers.
- Where
- Pune, India
- Why
- To make people aware about the life of waste pickers and the importance of waste management.
SWaCH and Waste Pickers
PMC
Waste Collection Method
SWaCH and Waste Pickers
SWaCH supports the current system where waste pickers directly collect and manage waste, allowing them to be micro-entrepreneurs and control their income.
PMC
PMC is considering a new system using small vehicles to collect waste, potentially reducing the role and income of waste pickers.
- Organization
- SWaCH
- Waste Trail Purpose
- Educate people about waste pickers
- Focus
- Waste pickers, especially women, and their work
- Waste Trail Participants
- Corporates, educationists, students, citizens
- Waste Segregation
- Wet and dry trash
- MLP Recycling
- SWaCH partners with ITC and PMC to recycle multi-layer plastic since 2019.