What Green worms does

Green Worms is an India-based circular waste management company founded in 2014 by Jabir Karat and headquartered in Kozhikode, Kerala. The company operates 11+ Material Recovery Facilities with aggregate capacity of 100,800 MT/year, supported by a 89-vehicle GPS-tracked fleet and a 50,000 sq ft dedicated recycling facility with an in-house Dr. Russell deLucia QC Lab, processing post-consumer plastic, textile, and footwear waste across India. Its core technology stack consists of 12-15+ proprietary AI-enabled apps feeding a central MRF 360 dashboard, providing end-to-end QR-coded, geo-tagged traceability from collection through baling and recycling, with material-level records at every stage.

Green Worms monetizes across six service lines: Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials (industrial-grade rLDPE and rLLDPE granules sold to packaging manufacturers), EPR compliance services (audit-ready chain-of-custody documentation with CPCB/GRS authorization to issue verified EPR credits), plastic recovery and ocean-bound-plastic removal, CSR/ESG partnerships, IT/traceability licensing, and co-created value chains for textiles, footwear, and low-value flexible plastics. Pricing is quote-based and undisclosed, with a B2B enterprise field-sales GTM targeting consumer brands (IKEA, BASF, Metro Shoes, HUL via TRANSFORM). The company also runs Circularity Labs, an R&D sub-brand tackling hard-to-recycle streams (mattresses, polystyrene, sachets, flex banners, plastic tubes), and Kuppayam, a thrift-store sub-brand for second-hand textiles.

Green Worms' competitive position rests on CPCB/GRS regulatory authorization, a vertically integrated PCR recycling capability for flexible plastics that few Indian competitors have demonstrated, and a 10,800+ green-collar workforce (predominantly women from marginalized communities) that doubles as social-impact narrative and operational asset. Customer logos are concentrated among a small set of marquee enterprise brands and the operating geography remains India-centric, primarily Kerala. Revenue, cap-table composition beyond named impact investors (Acumen, Rainmatter, AIM Smart City, TRANSFORM consortium), and ownership percentages are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Green worms

Legal name

Green Worms Waste Management Private Limited

Website

https://greenworms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Green Worms is an India-based circular waste management company that processes post-consumer plastics, textiles, and footwear into PCR granules and EPR compliance services for enterprise consumer brands, operating 11+ Material Recovery Facilities and proprietary traceability technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycled Resin Trading & Distribution (PCR/PIR Commodity Markets) (EUAIAKAK), Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF), Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAD), Recycled Plastic Compounds (PCR/PIR) (IMANABAE)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Plastic recycling
• EPR compliance
• Circular economy solutions
• Material recovery facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Kochi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Materials: Turn collected dry waste into industrial grade PCR granules (rLDPE, rLLDPE) for packaging applications including shrink films, polybags, and mailers. Revenue generated from selling recycled granules to manufacturers.
2. EPR Compliance Services: Help brands meet Extended Producer Responsibility obligations with audit-ready systems and records. Authorised by CPCB to issue verified EPR credits. Services include developing tailored EPR plans, digital chain of custody, processing for recycling targets, and final audit submission.
3. Plastic Recovery Programs: Recovery programs that remove plastic from the environment, particularly ocean-bound plastic. Services include collection, segregation, technology-led recovery, and impact verification with certifications including Ocean Bound Plastic Neutral, Verra Plastic Waste Reduction Standard, and PPRS.
4. CSR and ESG Partnerships: Create social impact programs that empower green collar work and welfare for brands seeking CSR and ESG fulfillment. Services include setting up waste infrastructure, training professionals, promoting source segregation, and clean-up drives.
5. Co-creating Value Chains: Help brands recover post-consumer waste across textiles, footwear, plastics, and other complex streams. Includes textile recovery, footwear waste management, and low-value flexible packaging recovery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Green Worms operates an end-to-end circular waste management platform that collects, segregates, and processes plastic, textile, footwear, and flexible packaging waste through 11+ Material Recovery Facilities. It converts collected dry waste into industrial-grade PCR granules, manages Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance for brands, runs plastic recovery programs for oceans and coastal areas, and supports brand partners through CSR/ESG partnerships and co-created value chains for hard-to-recycle materials.

Product overview

Green Worms operates a modular circular waste management platform organized around six core service lines — Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Materials, EPR Compliance, IT/Traceability, Plastic Recovery, CSR & ESG Partnerships, and Co-creating Value Chains — supported by specialized sub-products including Circularity Labs (for hard-to-recycle materials), Textile Recovery, Footwear Recovery, MRF 360 (central dashboard), proprietary AI-powered tracking apps (Green Gears, Sorting App, Bailing App), and operational infrastructure (11+ MRFs, a dedicated 50,000 sq ft recycling facility with an in-house QC lab). The MRF 360 platform serves as the unifying layer, integrating data from all collection, segregation, baling, and recycling apps to provide end-to-end traceability for brand partners and verifiable sustainability reporting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kuppayam: Thrift store operated by Green Worms selling second-hand clothes, with 16,800 items sold.
• Circularity Labs

Products and services

• Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Materials Industrial-grade PCR granules (rLDPE, rLLDPE) produced from collected dry waste using proprietary de-inking, de-oiling, and deodorizing technology. Sold to manufacturers for shrink films, polybags, mailers, and packaging applications.
• EPR Compliance Services End-to-end Extended Producer Responsibility compliance management for brands, including digital chain of custody, GPS-tracked fleet pickups, MRF processing, and audit-ready documentation. Authorised by CPCB to issue verified EPR credits.
• IT / Traceability Platform Proprietary suite of 12+ AI-enabled apps (including MRF 360 dashboard, Green Gears Fleet App, Sorting App, Bailing App) providing end-to-end digital waste tracking with QR codes, GPS fleet monitoring, geo-tagged photo capture, and real-time central dashboard for brands and manufacturers.
• Plastic Recovery Programs Recovery programs that remove ocean-bound plastic from the environment, covering commercial and public space collection, segregation, QR/GPS-tracked processing, and verifiable impact reporting for brand partners.
• CSR & ESG Partnerships Co-created Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG initiatives including waste infrastructure setup, green collar professional training, source segregation promotion, cleanup drives, and stakeholder linkage programs for brand partners.
• Co-creating Value Chains Designs and operates supply chains for complex post-consumer waste streams including textiles, footwear, and low-value flexible packaging, including dedicated Textile Recovery and Footwear Recovery programs with take-back and recycling infrastructure.
• Circularity Labs Experimental R&D initiative tackling the hardest-to-recycle waste streams including mattresses, polystyrene, sachets, flex banners, and plastic tubes, combining material redesign and infrastructure development to create viable circular solutions for brand partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 181,280,000 kg waste diverted from landfills
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hindustan Unilever (HUL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026TRANSFORM India Challenge collaboration providing grant funding and technical assistance. Green Worms was selected as one of four winners from over 150 applicants to accelerate plastics circularity.
• EYcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Professional services firm providing business insights and global network access as part of TRANSFORM India Challenge to help scale impact of selected startups.
• IKEAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ethically source post-consumer glass waste and convert it into high-value, reusable lighting solutions. Green Worms collects and processes the glass waste while IKEA uses it for product manufacturing.
• BASFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal chemical company supporting testing and development of ways to turn discarded post-consumer scraps into useful raw material for various applications.
• Metro ShoescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootwear take-back program addressing one of the hardest waste streams. Over 241,000 kilograms of footwear waste diverted from landfills through systematic collection and processing.
• VKCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootwear take-back program where 525 pairs of VKC chappals were collected from customers, reducing waste and supporting a greener future.
• NOSTRAINminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuy 1, Recycle 1 program where for every shoe purchased, a used pair is recycled, promoting circular footwear practices.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• PlasticBank: Global plastic-credit platform monetizing collection of ocean-bound plastic through brand partnerships. Overlapping value proposition in plastic-recovery credits and traceability for enterprise sustainability buyers.
• RePurpose Global: Plastic action platform enabling brands to fund ocean-bound plastic recovery through verified plastic credits. Comparable to Green Worms' Plastic Recovery and Ocean Bound Plastic Neutral offerings from a credit-platform angle.

Direct peers

• Lucro Plastecycle: India-based PCR manufacturer focused on flexible plastics and post-consumer film recycling. Direct competitor to Green Worms' PCR granule business and overlapping EPR-credit generation activity in the Indian market.
• Saahas Zero Waste: India-based waste management social enterprise handling source segregation, recycling, and processing. Comparable operating model and focus on hard-to-recover streams with impact orientation.
• Bhor Chemicals & Plastics: India-based manufacturer of recycled plastic compounds and PCR materials. Competes with Green Worms in industrial-grade recycled resin supply for packaging applications.
• Srichakra Polyplast: India-based PCR manufacturer producing recycled polyethylene granules. Direct competitor in the film-grade PCR resin market serving packaging customers.
• Nepra Resource Management: India-based waste management company providing EPR compliance, recycling, and waste collection services to enterprises. Directly comparable in EPR-led service model and Indian-market focus.
• Hasiru Dala: India-based organization integrating informal waste pickers into formal waste management and EPR compliance. Comparable on informal-worker-led sourcing model and EPR-driven revenue in India.

Broad incumbents

• Reliance Industries (Recycled Polymers): India's largest petrochemical conglomerate with growing PCR and recycled polymer capabilities. A broad incumbent with overlapping recycled-resin output serving packaging customers at national scale.
• Suez India (Suez Waste Management): Subsidiary of global waste management major Suez, operating recycling and waste services across India. Broad incumbent providing municipal and industrial waste services with recycled-material outputs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/green-worms-waste-management

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Green worms