On the morning of March 11 (local time), in Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, southern India. Two women, Latika and Molly, wearing teal shirts, entered an alley carrying white sacks. When the homeowner opened the gate, they opened a plastic bag left in the carport, took out plastic waste, and moved it into the sack. Clean, washed and dried pill bottles, food containers, PET bottles, and snack wrappers poured out. Latika scanned the QR code posted on the wall to bill 100 rupees (about 1,550 won), then headed to the next house.

Latika and Molly are the waste collectors responsible for Vanchiyoor. Their organization is called ‘Haritha Karma Sena’. In Malayalam, used in Kerala, it means ‘green warriors’. That day, the two visited 15 households and 60 shops to collect plastic. There are about 35,000 members of Haritha Karma Sena in Kerala.

Kerala has operated Haritha Karma Sena since 2017 to address waste issues such as littering and illegal burning. Composed of local women, the group collects solid waste other than food waste. Each household and business pays 50 to 200 rupees per month (about 770 to 3,100 won) for collection. If illegal dumping or burning is detected, a fine higher than the service fee is imposed.

Collectors receive salaries and also earn extra income by selling some recyclables such as PET bottles and cans. Latika and Molly earn about 30,000 rupees per month (about 465,000 won). That is higher than the Indian average of 25,000 rupees.

Haritha Karma Sena has not only improved local waste problems but also helped alleviate poverty and increase employment for women. Members of Haritha Karma Sena are selected through the local community ‘Kudumbashree’, which supports the self-reliance of women in poverty. As housewives or informal waste pickers who had not been recognized as workers were incorporated into jobs recognized by local government, residents also began to acknowledge their presence and value.

The teal uniform that symbolizes Haritha Karma Sena is a source of pride for Latika and Molly. Latika said, “Here I am not a mother or a grandmother but a worker,” and added, “Because we handle the waste, residents welcome us. At some homes they even gave clothes as a thank-you gift.”

The Kerala government says the system has brought about 30,000 low-income women into the labor market and established a framework that collects roughly 650,000 tons of waste annually. Economist K K Krishnakumar, who devised the communication strategy for the state’s zero-waste policy, said, “Our aim goes beyond merely making streets look tidy and ultimately is to respond to the climate crisis,” and added, “Haritha Karma Sena are skilled workers and professionals, and people on the front line of the climate crisis.” According to the public waste enterprise Clean Kerala Company, the volume of waste collected by Haritha Karma Sena increased 236 percent over five years, and Kerala reduced greenhouse gas emissions by about 300,000 tons through this activity.

Social perceptions of waste have also changed. In India, waste-related work had long been considered work for the poorest and lowest castes, and trash piled up on streets or in rivers was left unattended. Since the system was introduced and separation at source became a shared responsibility, waste has emerged as a public agenda.

Joy Elamon, a public health expert and director of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration, said, “Waste is the politics of everyday life, where society, economy, and culture are intertwined,” and added, “Now, if someone throws trash anywhere, it appears in the news, and changes are taking place across every sphere of society.”