A river-cleaning program in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has recovered more than 1,000 tonnes of plastic from the city’s rivers and canals over four years, preventing that waste from reaching the Arabian Sea.

Studies show plastic makes up about 79% of debris in Thiruvananthapuram’s waterways, with the Karamana and Killi rivers showing high microplastic concentrations.

From 2022 to mid-2026, a total of 1,036.513 tonnes of debris was collected from 15 water bodies under the Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project, a CSR initiative by Allianz Technologies in partnership with NGOs Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation.

The initiative creates local employment and supports waste management through a network of material recovery facilities and recycling/processing activities.

Water Resources Minister calls the model replicable due to its sustained, systematic approach, urging greater collaboration from corporates, local bodies, and citizens.

The project aims to reduce urban flood risks, protect infrastructure, and improve liveability to attract global talent, cited as upstream action to protect biodiversity and ocean health.

Officials and ministers from Kerala attended the announcement, presenting the project as a model of corporate citizenship and environmental leadership for regional growth.

Kerala officials framed the milestone as evidence of integrating industrial growth with environmental stewardship, highlighting responsibility of global-capability centers and local communities.

Kerala Industries, IT and Startups Minister notes the initiative demonstrates responsible corporate citizenship and signals to global investors that industrial growth can align with environmental stewardship.

In 2025, the program expanded to grassroots outreach in Puthenthope, Kadinamkulam, and Veli to drive behavior change and preventive waste management, alongside beach cleanups and awareness campaigns.

The initiative expanded beyond waste collection to community interventions in Puthenthope, Kadinamkulam, and Veli, collaborating with Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation to conduct beach clean-ups, awareness campaigns, and behaviour-change activities.

The expansion in 2025 emphasized preventive waste management and community engagement at the grassroots level.