Shillong, March 30: Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya and a renowned hill station, is grappling with a growing garbage crisis. The city’s landfill site, MARTEN, is overflowing, and authorities are struggling to find alternative dumping grounds.

Shillong generates approximately 171 metric tons of solid waste daily in the Greater Shillong Planning Area, with a per capita rate of 378 grams per day. This amounts to about 5,130 metric tons monthly and 62,415 metric tons annually. The city’s main landfill site, MARTEN, undergoes regular monitoring for air, groundwater, and leachate quality but is nearing capacity. The government is working to identify new dumping sites, though this process will take time. Amid this mounting waste problem, one entrepreneur is leading the charge against Shillong’s waste crisis.

Meet Rony Saha, the Founder of Recycle Bazzar

Rony Saha, the founder of Recycle Bazzar, Meghalaya’s first recycling startup, was inspired by his childhood struggles with waste-clogged drains near his home in Keating Road. He envisioned a solution that would not only clean up the city but also create economic opportunities.

A Humble Beginning with a Big Vision
Recycle Bazzar, launched in September 2024, operates on a simple yet powerful idea—”Turning Trash into Treasure.” The startup provides a structured waste management system, linking households with scrap collectors and recycling plants through an easy-to-use app.

Rony recalls how his mother sparked the idea: “During COVID-19, there was so much garbage piling up, and my mother said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if someone could collect and recycle this trash while also helping people earn some money?’ That’s when I decided—why not me?”

Leaving his corporate job in Mumbai, Rony returned to Shillong and worked with his uncle, who ran a scrap collection center. He studied the industry from the ground up, learning waste segregation, recycling processes, and market dynamics. Armed with this knowledge, he launched Recycle Bazzar.

From 100 Flyers to a Citywide Movement

Recycle Bazzar started with 100 flyers distributed in Laitumkhrah and Police Bazar. To Rony’s surprise, the campaign went viral on WhatsApp, generating 120 orders in the first three months. This overwhelming response proved that Shillong and the Northeast needed a structured waste management service.

Today, Recycle Bazzar has grown significantly with a dedicated team, including:

Sunny Saha (COO)
Rupesh Bhaskar (Consulting Technology Officer)
Sahil Kumar Saha (CFO)
Jugal Kishore Das (Senior Android Developer)
Iba Suting (Operations Manager)
Anuranan Chetia (Senior iOS Developer)
Alvareen Mary Shangpliang (Operations Head, Meghalaya)
Rajdeep Das , (Chief Titan Operations Officer)
Anowar Hussain (Head of Titans)

The Titans: Shillong’s Waste Warriors
At the heart of Recycle Bazzar’s operations is a dedicated team known as the Titans. These individuals play a crucial role in executing the company’s waste management strategy. The Titans are responsible for collecting, segregating, and processing waste efficiently. Many of them come from underprivileged backgrounds, and Recycle Bazzar provides them with employment, skill development, and a stable income. By empowering the Titans, the startup ensures that waste management is not just a service but a sustainable livelihood for many in Shillong.

How Recycle Bazzar Works
The startup operates through four phases:

Solid Waste Management – Educating and streamlining waste collection and recycling processes.
Old Clothes Collection – Encouraging reuse and textile recycling.
Vehicle Recycling – Managing and repurposing old vehicles and parts.
Door-to-Door Garbage Collection – Offering doorstep waste collection, segregation, and disposal services.
Using their app, customers can schedule waste pickups. The collected waste is weighed, and users receive credits in their Recycle Bazzar wallet, which they can later withdraw as cash. The startup also collaborates with five collection centers across Shillong, ensuring maximum recycling efficiency.

Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite its success, Recycle Bazzar faces challenges. One major issue is multi-layered plastic (MLP) waste—such as chip and biscuit packets—that are difficult to recycle. “We’re working on new technologies to recycle MLP plastics,” says Rony.

Another challenge is convincing traditional scrap dealers (Kabariwalas) to adopt a more inclusive recycling model. Many dealers only collect profitable materials, ignoring low-value recyclables. Recycle Bazzar, however, is committed to a comprehensive waste management approach, accepting everything from plastic and metal to old clothes and e-waste.

Government Support and Future Expansion
The startup recently received ₹2 lakh in funding from Meghalaya’s E-Championship Challenge, a government initiative supporting entrepreneurs. Rony appreciates the support, saying, “Mentorship and financial assistance from the government have been crucial in helping us scale.”

Looking ahead, Recycle Bazzar plans to expand to Jowai and Mairang before venturing into other parts of the Northeast. The long-term vision? Scaling across India, creating employment for one lakh people, and transforming waste management nationwide.

A Cleaner, Greener Future
Rony’s goal is clear: “We don’t want to replace anyone; we want to collaborate with the existing market and onboard more Kabariwalas through technology and better operational strategies.”

With Mawlynnong, in Meghalaya already known as Asia’s cleanest village, Recycle Bazzar aims to make the entire city—and eventually India—a model for sustainable waste management.

“When people visit our country, I want them to say: ‘Saare jahan se achha, Hindustan hamara’ (India is the best in the world).”

Recycle Bazzar is not just a business—it’s a movement to clean, earn, and recycle for a better tomorrow.

Also Read: Raj Bhavan hosts SEIL 2025 Experience Sharing Program to promote national integration

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