5 Indian Startups Leading The Way In Recycling Temple Floral Waste
In India, temple waste, including flowers, garlands, and sweets, has become a significant environmental concern. Annually, approximately 80,00,000 tons of temple waste are dumped into rivers and lands, polluting water bodies, harming marine life, and causing environmental chaos. However, some innovative Indian startups have taken the initiative to tackle this issue head-on by recycling temple floral waste and creating eco-friendly products. Let’s explore these five companies making a positive impact.
Phool.co — transforming temple waste into eco-friendly products
Phool.co, meaning “flowers” in Hindi, is a for-profit enterprise that upcycles floral waste into high-quality products such as incense, organic compost, and eco-friendly alternatives to Styrofoam. The company employs women from vulnerable Dalit families and collects over 4 tons of floral waste daily from temples in Uttar Pradesh. Their efforts divert toxic waste from the Ganges River, contributing to its improved health.
Holywaste — Rejuvenating floral trash for a greener tomorrow
Holywaste, a part of Oorvi Sustainable Concepts Pvt Ltd. in Hyderabad, practices “FloRejuvenation” to revitalize floral waste. They collaborate with vendors, temples, event planners, and decorators to collect floral waste, diverting around 200 kg from landfills and lakes each day. The waste is processed into eco-friendly products like fertilizers, incense sticks, cones, and soaps, promoting sustainability.
Yuvan — Organic incense sticks from temple offerings
Ravinder Prashar, an entrepreneur from Una, initiated Yuvan to produce organic incense sticks using flower offerings from temples. These incense sticks are created with natural portions and essential oils from flowers, ensuring no charcoal or synthetic chemicals are used. The process is carbon neutral, and even the unused parts of flowers are used to make compost, further reducing waste.
Esscent by Apran — Empowering women and creating eco-friendly products
Esscent by Arpan, a social innovation business, engages children from the Connecting Dreams Foundation-SRCC Chapter to convert dried flower debris into high-quality floral incense products. They offer sticks, cones, and candles made from recycled temple floral waste. A significant portion of their earnings goes to support female entrepreneurs and individuals with disabilities.
Aaruhi enterprise by Poonam Sherawat — Handmade eco-friendly products empowering women
Poonam Sherawat’s Aaruhi Enterprise is not only keeping the environment clean by recycling floral waste but also empowering women from marginalized backgrounds. Handmade eco-friendly products like candles and incense sticks are crafted by these women, allowing them to earn a livelihood and support their families. The venture has made a significant impact in both environmental and social spheres.
Conclusion
These five Indian startups serve as shining examples of the positive impact that recycling temple floral waste can have on the environment and society. By transforming waste into eco-friendly products and empowering marginalized communities, they are creating a sustainable future for India and inspiring others to follow suit.
