The Kochi corporation is facing a significant financial burden due to the lack of a weighbridge to measure the actual quantity of garbage handled by private agencies. Despite increasing waste volumes, the local body cannot verify the amounts claimed by these firms, leading to potential overpayment.
Plastic Waste Collection and Costs
Two private firms, W Kerala and Green Worms, are responsible for collecting plastic waste from various wards on behalf of the corporation. According to Vyttila councillor V P Chandran, approximately 19.9 million kilograms of plastic waste were collected in the last financial year. The corporation pays Rs 4 per kilogram, resulting in an annual expenditure of Rs 7.56 crore. The collected waste is taken to the corporation's resource recovery facilities (RRFs) for sorting, where good quality plastic has resale value. However, the corporation does not receive any revenue from these sales. Moreover, the local body is required to pay the private firm a fixed percentage of the waste collection fee based on the total quantity of plastic collected.
Food Waste Processing
Food waste from the divisions is processed by companies like Fabbco and Zigma using black soldier flies. According to corporation data, approximately 21.5 million kilograms of waste were collected during the 2025-26 fiscal year. The processing cost is Rs 2.49 per kilogram, totaling Rs 5.38 crore paid to these two firms during that period.
Bulk Waste Collection Issues
A similar situation exists for bulk waste generators in the city. A private firm collects this waste, but the corporation provides all facilities, including vehicles for transportation. The firm only supplies the manpower required for waste collection. In this case as well, the corporation lacks its own facility to quantify the waste and must rely on the bills submitted by the firm, making it difficult to verify the accuracy of the amounts claimed.
