Recykal: Helping waste recyclers using technology

Recykal offers end-to-end digital waste management solutions. It connects waste aggregators and recyclers, facilitating transactions between them

Hyderabad: Recykal, a tech startup founded in 2016, is driven by a mission to reintegrate waste into the economy and minimize its impact on the environment, says co-founder Vikram Prabakar.

The company offers end-to-end digital waste management solutions. It connects waste aggregators and recyclers, facilitating transactions between them.

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Waste generation is a significant issue, not only related to packaging but also to the products that we use daily such as electronics and more. Recykal’s mission is to reintegrate waste into the economy and minimize its impact on the environment.

Through the use of technology, Recykal builds solutions across the waste management ecosystem, generating substantial value at a large scale.

Recykal’s solutions lie in a B2B marketplace that addresses the challenges faced by waste recyclers throughout the country. Unlike other industries, waste management predominantly relies on informal processes, making it difficult for recyclers to collect and process waste seamlessly. Recykal resolves these issues by connecting recyclers with aggregators nationwide. The company operates a managed marketplace to ensure recyclers receive waste materials on time, in the desired quantities, and with the expected quality, allowing them to run their factories without concerns about sourcing materials.

In addition to the marketplace, Recykal provides a platform that enables enterprises across the country, including Unilever, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and others, to implement post-consumer waste collection and recycling initiatives. This aligns with the producer responsibility regulation, which mandates industries to responsibly collect and dispose of waste.

The startup also collaborates with local governments to digitize smart centres and collection centres, thereby enhancing the efficiency of waste collection processes within the ecosystem.

‘Refuel with RecyKal’ Campaign

Recently, Recykal partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to enable waste collection from consumers at five retail outlets in Hyderabad. The campaign encourages customers to bring pet bottles and aluminum cans and drop them into reverse vending machines to earn fuel points. The initiative also accepts dry waste such as plastic, paper, cardboard, e-waste, glass, and metal, rewarding consumers with fuel points. Recykal has developed a digital system to collect waste, provide compensation in credits, and promote the valorization of dry waste.

Deposit Refund System

Introduced in Kedarnath last year, the Deposit Refund System facilitates the large-scale collection of waste directly from consumers. It incentivizes consumers to return their waste (plastic packaging or e-waste) in exchange for a refundable deposit paid at the time of purchase. The initiative aims to create a cleaner Kedarnath and was recognized with the Digital India award. This year, Recykal implemented the system at Char Dham and plans to expand it to other locations such as Goa and Nainital across the country.

More details

• Tech startup Recykal aims to reintegrate waste into economy and minimize environmental impact
• Offers end-to-end digital waste management solutions
• Connects waste aggregators and recyclers
• Recykal operates a B2B marketplace to address challenges faced by waste recyclers
• Recykal’s campaigns include “Refuel with RecyKal,” and Deposit Refund System in Kedarnath