Chennai Coastal Cleanup - Segregation

Hi,

Thanks again for coming forward to join with us to clean the shores of  'Namma Chennai'. 

This year's CCC is not just about picking the garbage from the beach, but it's also about reducing the overall garbage footprint by following a effectivesegregation process.

Wondering how to do it?

Basically, you are gonna find 3 types of garbage in our beaches.

1. Glass

2. Recyclables (All kind of plastic items, Metals and Slippers)

3. Non-Recyclables (Anything which doesn't fall in the above 2 categories)

All you have to do is : Pick ONE category. Collect ONLY that. Dump at the collection point. 

Still have doubts ??? Go through the below FAQs for a more detailed understanding of the process and how it impacts to reduce the garbage footprint. 

The same is attached as a word document here.

1.   Why Segregation?

Everyone of us know that we are dumping all the garbage in Pallikaranai. Let’s not just clean the garbage from the coastal areas and dump them in beautiful Pallikaranai Marsh Land. More than 50% of garbage can be recycled which will reduce the amount of garbage being dumped in land fill.

2.   What should I pick up?

We will be segregating garbage in three main categories. Familiarize yourself with each of these:

      1. Glass Bottles : (Alcohol Bottles, Broken Glass pieces, Broken Glass bottles, Glass Medicinal Bottles and other Glass Items)

      2. Recyclables : (All kind of Polythene Covers and Wrappers, Carry Bags, PET Bottles, Plastic Containers, Water Packets, Shoes, Slippers, Milk Covers, Card Boards, Papers, Metals, Aluminum Tins and any other kind of Plastic materials)

      3. Others (Non-Recyclables) :  (Thermocol , Styrofoam, Coconut Shells, Wooden Scraps, Dried Garlands, Clothes, Pillows, Beds and anything not covered in the above two categories)

Your zone lead will assign you to pick one particular category of garbage. Collect only the garbage that fits in that criteria. There will be a lot of other stuff lying around. You can conveniently ignore them because - there will be some other person assigned to pick that up !!!

Picking your category alone will help a lot in making the segregation/recycling process effective. So do not worry about the garbage that doesnt fit in the category which is assigned to you.

Doubtful about whether the trash belongs to your category or not? Just leave it there. It will fit into others / non-recyclables. Mixing ONE non-recyclable item with recyclables will damage the whole recycling process.

3.   Why do we have this classification of garbage into three categories?

There is one and only one reason -To recycle and reuse the garbage collected.

To enable recycling to the maximum extent, source segregation is the key and hence the classification.

4.   Do I pick the garbage with my bare hands?

No way will we let you do that. You will be given one glove (Not a pair. Optimum utilization you see! ). Wear it before you pick up anything.

5.   How do I collect the garbage I pick?

Step 1: Choose a partner

Step 2: Collect a re-usable collecting bag from your coordinator

Step 3: Share the bag with your partner and start picking garbage

6.   Do I collect glass bottles with the same gloves? Won’t it hurt?

You have a valid point! You cannot collect glass bottles with the thin gloves. So if you are assigned the category one, then ensure that you get the separate thick gloves to pick glass and a separate jute bag to collect.

7.   What do I do when my bag is full?

Collection points will be assigned for your zone of which your coordinator will inform you about. A volunteer will be stationed at the point to guide you.

If you are collecting glass, just leave the filled up bag at the collection point and get a new bag.

If you are collecting plastics or others, dump them into the big bags kept at the collection points and resume your work with the emptied bag.

8.   What happens to the collected garbage?

Ok now you are getting to the point! This is the question we love to answer.

As we already said, our mission is to recycle the maximum (We recycled 80% of the 30 ton garbage that we picked up last year). So all the piles of garbage mounted at the collection points will be loaded onto trucks.  The recyclables – glass and plastics – will be taken to the dump yard of our official recycling partner EARTH RECYCLER from where it would be recycled. (We have been contributing to the Madambakkam panchayat to lay plastic roads)

The others category waste will be sent to the dump yard of the Chennai Corporation where it will be let to decompose.

9.   Do you guys sell the garbage? Are you guys earning money from our efforts?

We wish we could make some money (Just kidding). The truth is No. We are not selling the garbage.

It costs us way too much to arrange for the event, for the transportation and for all other necessary items. We make hardly anything to cover-up these expenses. All these years we have managed the show only with the support of our sponsors and patrons. As we would like to put it, this is not a business; it’s a team effort to bring about some self-realization to the people.

10.   What will you guys do if you get money out of the garbage this year?

Party?!?! Ha Ha.. Without any doubt, the collections would be directed towards next year’s cleanup.

11.   Seriously! What do you guys get out of this event?

The satisfaction that we tried. That we made a difference. That we were able to start a change.