A good price for domestic & corporate waste!

A month ago, my closest human beings got inspired by an advertisement published by a retail giant - that was an advertisement for exchanging our domestic waste materials for discount coupons. Lured by the advertisement, we all dumped the waste news papers and clothes and drove to the super market. The goods were received by a team at the entrance of the shop and got weighed. For a weight of around 40kgs of waste, we were given Rs.3000/- worth discount coupons! Everyone in the family were thrilled to see the coupons without understanding the catch! The catch is - those coupons can be redeemed from 10 to 20% of the purchase value. That is, if you have to redeem all that Rs. 3000, you have to buy goods for Rs.15000 - 30000. This offer is valid for a period of one month. Finally we end up in buying for Rs. 2000 only and redeemed only Rs 200. Selling of those 40 Kg old materials to a street vendor could have given as minimum Rs 300 - 400!

Generation of waste is increasing year on year due to increase in consumption. Management of waste is a problem for both corporates and individuals. With the high usage of electronic goods, the e-waste generation is proliferating at an accelerated rate. Realizing the potential of this space, there are many organized private businesses started emerging in the waste management. Gone are the days (or going are the days..) we call the street vendors to sell our waste materials; now the professionals are available at a call/mouse-click to offer this service!

Holding the waste has a cost for an individual in terms of lack of usable space and cleanliness. Whereas for corporates, the cost may be direct in storing and handling the waste. Hence it is better for an individual or corporate to get rid of waste as early as possible irrespective of whatever the value that they get out of it. But what is the best price that the waste goods can get for us? It is not by selling the waste, but by DONATING it!

 I was thinking of the following business model:

1. Waste management companies identify few charities, social organizations who are in need of donations.
2. Corporates and individuals who are willing to donate their waste goods can call the waste management companies to collect the goods.
3. The goods are weighed at customer premises (corporate office/home) and the value of the goods are given as a receipt
4.  If customer has a choice for donating to a specific cause (education, healthcare etc.), the money will be credited to a relevant charitable organization. if no specific choice, the money will be given to any other registered charitable organization.
5. Customer repeats donation of waste throughout the year.
6. At the end of the year, the waste management company gets the income tax exemption certificate from the participating charitable organizations and hands them over to the customer. The customer gets income tax rebate.
7. Periodically, the waste handling businesses can run waste donation events at prominent locations in the cities where customers can visit and donate the waste.

In a growing country like ours, the consumption is on the increasing mode for the last few years. Waste management is already become a big problem for us. We need more organized businesses in this sector to improve the ways of handling the waste for everybody's benefit. I hope that donating the waste will meet the needs of all ends - Satisfaction to the customer-donor, money for the waste management companies and help for charities.

If you find this as a viable business idea, suggest this to any of the waste management company you know. And don't miss to donate your waste!