River Clean Up Removes 1,000 Tonnes of Plastic in Kerala

16 Jul 2026 CW Team

A river cleaning initiative in Thiruvananthapuram has removed 1,000 tonnes (t) of plastic from rivers and canals over four years, preventing it from reaching the Arabian Sea. The milestone was marked at an event attended by Kerala ministers and project officials. Organisers said the achievement highlights sustained efforts to curb marine pollution.

Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India, the Global Capability Centres of Allianz Group, said the recovered plastic equals nearly 50 million (mn) bottles. The project deploys floating barriers known as TrashBooms to trap plastic in rivers and urban waterways, with 15 systems operating at major locations including the Karamana and Killi rivers and several canals. Collected material is transported to material recovery facilities where recyclable waste is processed for reuse and non-recyclable plastic is sent for co-processing in cement plants.

Implementation partners include Thanal Trust, Sustera Foundation and Germany-based Plastic Fischer, with support from the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala government departments. Industries Minister P. K. Kunhalikutty emphasised that environmental sustainability should remain integral to Kerala's industrial growth and Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph described the initiative as a replicable model. In 2025 Allianz launched a related programme in Puthenthope, Kadinamkulam and Veli with NGO partners to reduce plastic leakage into waterways.

Project data notes that around nine mn t of plastic enter the world's oceans each year and that nearly 79 per cent of debris along major water bodies in Thiruvananthapuram is plastic. Officials said the model is being replicated in cities including Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kanpur and Varanasi to reduce pollution and improve urban water quality. Organisers plan continued expansion and monitoring to measure long-term impacts.

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