Waste Is Gold turning trash into treasure | Fusion - WeRIndia

In a world overwhelmed by growing landfills and unsustainable waste practices, one Indian startup is leading a quiet revolution.

Waste Is Gold Technologies is transforming the way we think about waste, not as a burden, but as a valuable resource.

The idea took shape when Sandeep Tiwari, an MBA graduate with a passion for innovation, began experimenting with solutions to reduce the growing landfill crisis.

Within two years of its launch, the team developed a machine that could convert organic waste into compost in just 14 days.

Today, their flagship product, the Gold Composter, has been successfully deployed in over 150 sites across South India, including residential complexes, hotels, and industrial units.

The company’s vision is ambitious: to create a world without landfills. Their mission focuses on decentralised, scientific waste disposal using advanced composting technology that is eco-friendly, odourless, and free from harmful emissions like methane.

At the heart of Waste Is Gold’s innovation is its patented aerobic composting technology.

The Gold Composter can process 100 kg of organic waste using just 7–8 units of electricity, half an hour of manpower daily, and can produce compost within 8 hours, a record pace in the industry.

This high-efficiency process has received recognition from the National Green Tribunal and Karnataka Pollution Control Board, placing it among the top 25 evaluated waste processing technologies in the country.

The composter accepts a wide variety of organic waste, cooked food, bones, meat, horticulture waste, paper, and more.

Its bio-mechanical process, driven by proprietary bacteria, produces ready-to-use Organic Waste Compost (OWC), ideal for agriculture, landscaping, and gardening.

Leading the initiative is Sandeep Tiwari, backed by a diverse team:

• Sujay Rokade, a mechanical design expert
• Shane D’souza, a tech-savvy business strategist
• Mita Tiwari, a software engineer with IoT integration experience
• Premika Thirumur, a social entrepreneur with a background in event management and community welfare

Together, they have built not just a company, but a movement focused on sustainability, efficiency, and innovation.

Operating in a traditionally slow-moving sector, Waste Is Gold has overcome major hurdles, limited funding, regulatory challenges, and public awareness to become a market leader.

Their bootstrapped beginnings didn’t stop them from building a company now valued at ₹100 crore.

Their composting units are now the preferred choice for bulk waste generators like builders, manufacturing units, hotels, and apartment complexes.

From its modest beginnings to becoming a game-changer in waste management, Waste Is Gold proves that sustainability and innovation can go hand in hand.

As cities grow and waste increases, the company’s decentralised, low-emission composting solution offers a viable, scalable answer to India’s waste crisis.

This is not just about managing waste, it’s about rethinking waste.

Image Credit: Wasteisgold Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://www.wasteisgold.com/