THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tonnes of plastic waste, household refuse and debris that resurfaced in Kerala’s rivers, canals and water bodies after the recent floods have exposed persistent gaps in the state’s waste management system, with officials admitting that a substantial portion of waste still escapes the organised collection network despite years of strengthening decentralised waste management.
According to official sources, around 7,500 to 10,000 tonnes of post-flood waste are expected to be handled. During the 2018 flood, around 18,000 tonnes of waste had to be scientifically disposed of.
The local self-government department (LSGD), which has launched large-scale clean-up operations in flood-hit districts, is drawing up a plan to scientifically collect and dispose of the accumulated waste. According to the LSGD, the exact quantity of flood waste can be estimated only after floodwaters recede completely. The department has brought in the Clean Kerala Company to ensure the scientific handling of waste in the flood-hit local bodies of central Kerala and the upper Kuttanad region.
Local bodies have been asked to identify major accumulation points and remove the debris before it triggers secondary public health and environmental hazards. The floodwaters have washed tonnes of plastic, damaged household articles, vegetation, construction debris and silt into rivers, streams, canals and public spaces, blocking natural drainage channels in several places.
A senior LSGD official said the problem lies not in the absence of a collection system but in the large volume of waste that never enters it.
“Kerala now collects around 500 tonnes of waste every day. But the total waste generated is close to 2,000 tonnes a day, including industrial waste. Besides the organised collection, a further 500-700 tonnes reach scrap dealers and other illegal channels.
Even then, nearly 40% of the waste leaks out of the system. That waste is dumped in open spaces, along riverbanks, or at other unauthorised locations. During heavy rain, it gets washed into canals and rivers. What we are seeing after the floods is exactly that hidden waste resurfacing,” the official said.
The LSGD official said the growing use of non-biodegradable packaging has widened the gap between waste generation and collection.
“The quantity of non-biodegradable waste keeps increasing. Even if collection improves, it is still not adequate when compared to the amount of waste being generated. Achieving 100% collection will take many more years,” the official said.
Officials said plastic waste with high calorific value would be sent for co-processing in cement plants, while legacy waste, silt-laden waste and other non-recyclable materials would require separate disposal methods.
Former Haritha Kerala Mission vice-chairperson T N Seema alleged that the floods had exposed a loss of momentum in waste management during the political transition following the 2026 assembly and 2025 local body elections.
“The biggest requirement in waste management is continuity. It has to be carried out every day in a disciplined manner. Over the past six months, that continuity has weakened,” she said.
According to Seema, Kerala already has a robust institutional framework, including the Haritha Karma Sena and material collection facilities (MCFs), but its success depends on sustained coordination among local bodies, officials and the government.
“Waste management does not run automatically. It requires constant monitoring and coordination. The systems exist, but the coordination between local bodies, officials, district administrations and the government has weakened. That’s the glaring gap the floods have exposed,” she said.
She also said weakening enforcement had resulted in more waste being dumped into canals, streams and vacant land, from where it was carried into rivers during heavy rain.