New Delhi, 06 April (H.S.): India's pioneering Textile Recovery Facility (TRF) in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, has gathered 30 metric tons of textile waste, scientifically sorted 25.5 metric tons, and trained over 300 women for employment.

Swachh Bharat Urban 2.0 Initiative

Established by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 at Belapur, the TRF systematically sorts waste for reuse, recycling, and upcycling. It processes ~500 garments daily (~41,000 total), with women crafting bags, apparel, and home decor exhibited at fairs.

TRF installed 140 special textile bins across 8 wards' housing societies (target: 250). Collected waste is weighed, tagged, and categorized at Belapur: reusable, recyclable, upcyclable, rejected. 'Kosha' handheld scanners identify fibers instantly (cotton, polycotton, polyester, wool, silk).

150 women actively earn ₹9,000-15,000 monthly. Initiative engaged 1,14,575 families via 75+ awareness workshops and 350+ society reps. Produced 400+ upcycled samples, including paper from rejects.

Initial hurdles—bin resistance, sorting knowledge gaps, mixed fibers—resolved via phased rollout, citizen engagement, scanning tech. Navi Mumbai plans permanent high-capacity TRF at Koparkhairne.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar