Plastic pollution is one of the biggest global environmental challenges. Its widespread presence and continuous production continue to challenge waste management systems, which struggle to cope with the volume and complexity of plastic waste. Natural ecosystems suffer from plastic waste dumping that harms biodiversity and disrupts ecological balance. Public health systems are impacted by microplastics in food and water and by toxic emissions from open waste burning. Economic systems, particularly in tourism-reliant areas, face setbacks as waste hotspots affect the appeal and safety of natural attractions.
© WWF-India
Meanwhile, informal labour systems bear the brunt of poorly managed plastic waste, with workers often operating in unsafe and unregulated conditions. India generates over 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. A significant portion of this waste is left uncollected or poorly managed, resulting in numerous concerns about landscapes, biodiversity, and human well-being. The urgency to find effective and sustainable solutions has never been greater.
GOA'S MOUNTING CRISIS
Goa, renowned for its scenic beaches, dense mangroves, and tourism, struggles with urban waste generation. Also, during the peak tourist season, Goa experiences a surge in single use plastics such as water bottles, straws, and food packaging, much of which ends up in open dumps or waterways due to inadequate disposal systems. The Sal River, a lifeline for communities in South Goa, winds through popular urban tourist centres like Margao and coastal settlements such as Benaulim and Betul before emptying into the Arabian Sea. Along this route, mismanaged waste from inland towns and peri-urban areas flows into the river, carrying plastics across ecosystems and polluting marine environments, impacting biodiversity, fisheries, and water quality at every stage.
© Hajj0_ms/ Wikimedia Commons
Goa's commercial and residential hubs primarily rely on a centralised waste management system. In this, waste is collected from multiple locations and transported to large but distant facilities for sorting and processing. This system often faces challenges such as delays, rising transport costs, and poor material recovery due to mixed and contaminated waste. It also relies on informal waste workers, who operate without prior training or consistent support.
ADOPTING SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT Goa's mounting plastic waste crisis calls for an integrated waste management approach that embeds circularity, accountability, and community participation at its core – a fundamental shift in how plastic waste is collected, managed, and processed. It is within this context that in 2024, WWF-India partnered with Saahas Zero Waste, a Bengaluru-based social enterprise with expertise in sustainable waste solutions, to pilot the Sustainable Approach to Integrated Waste Management (SAIM) initiative in Margao, Goa.
Waste collection vehicles, recognised by their distinctive music, have become familiar in Margao's neighbourhoods, reinforcing regularity and predictability in the collection.
At the centre of this initiative is the Material Recovery Facility (MRF), where the collected waste is brought. With advanced waste segregation and management machinery, MRF can handle up to 10 tonnes of dry waste daily, directing recyclable materials to authorised processing units. Due to the awareness drives, the community segregates waste into three categories: dry, wet, and sanitary, which significantly enhances sorting efficiency at the MRF.
© WWF-India
Over 15 waste workers are formally employed at the facility, receiving fair wages, insurance, protective gear, and training. This starkly contrasts the informal, often unfair conditions that dominate traditional waste management practices. The facility complies with all necessary social, environmental, and infrastructure norms, embodying ethical labour practices and setting a new standard for worker dignity in the sector.
THE IMPACT
In a short span, SAIM Goa has already made a measurable impact. As of March 2025, SAIM Goa has processed over 250 tonnes of dry waste, markedly diverting it from landfills and natural ecosystems and reducing plastic leakage into the Sal River. Since the waste is meticulously sorted into over 30 categories, it has allowed precise material recovery, reducing the burden on Goa's infrastructure.
Most importantly, SAIM Goa has proven that decentralised, community led waste management is viable, essential, and scalable. With its strong foundation in circularity, traceability, and social inclusion, the SAIM model, built on low-cost, modular infrastructure, is rooted in local partnerships. It is easily replicable and offers a sustainable framework for cities with similar profiles to transform their waste ecosystems.