Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is an Indian nonprofit that operates waste management infrastructure, climate education, and advocacy programs for waste picker communities in Delhi NCR, funded by grants and donations from corporate, government, and international foundation partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group does
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is an Indian nonprofit environmental research and action organization headquartered in Delhi NCR, founded in 1999. Its core operations span waste management, plastic pollution, climate change, and green livelihoods, with a deliberate focus on integrating informal waste picker communities into formal solid waste management systems. The organization's core products and infrastructure include two Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) — one at IIT Delhi (diverting 984 tons of waste per year) and one at Zakhira (handling 8 tons daily) — both involving women wastepickers in operations. Programmatic offerings include the 41-week Paryavaran Saathi climate education curriculum for children in landfill-adjacent communities, branded products such as Magic Mitti enriched compost and Neki aur Pooch Pooch upcycled pet toys, the Safai Sena advocacy network engaging 15,000 wastepickers, and Climate Sakhi training for slum women.
Chintan's intellectual output is significant: India's first bilingual air-quality webzine (ON AIR), the Chintan Chats podcast, and a portfolio of research reports (A Seat at the Table on EPR, Santulan on gender, Baseline/Endline Reports 2025, Breathing on the Frontlines covering Delhi and Lucknow, and Pollution Ka Solution with the High Commission of Canada). These assets collectively position the organization as a research-driven advocacy body rather than a service-delivery contractor.
The business model is grant- and donation-funded, with no commercial pricing. Revenue derives from institutional donors (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, The Incubation Network, High Commission of Canada), corporate partners (Coca-Cola India for EPR and MRF support), municipal governments (NDMC, SDMC, EDMC), and individual donations via the website. Go-to-market is community-led, anchored on relationships with waste picker communities and municipal bodies in Delhi NCR. Customer segments split between primary program beneficiaries (waste pickers, women wastepickers, children in landfill-adjacent communities) and secondary institutional buyers (municipal governments, corporate partners seeking EPR compliance).
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
- Legal name
- Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
- Website
- https://chintan-india.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is an Indian nonprofit that operates waste management infrastructure, climate education, and advocacy programs for waste picker communities in Delhi NCR, funded by grants and donations from corporate, government, and international foundation partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Services
- NAICS
- Waste Collection (5621), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Waste & Hazardous Materials Management (incl. HazMat) (BPAHAJAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Organics (Food/Yard) Collection (Residential & Commercial) (EUAIAAAO), Pollution Prevention, Chemicals & Waste (incl. Plastics) (BPADALAJ), Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)
Keywords
Where Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Chintan operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from individuals, corporations, and institutional donors. The organization publishes financial statements annually and accepts donations through its website.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is a nonprofit environmental organization that operates Material Recovery Facilities, delivers climate and waste-management education programs, conducts policy research on circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility, and runs community-based green livelihood programs for waste picker communities in Delhi NCR. Its deliverables include contracted MRF services (IIT-Delhi and Zakhira facilities), branded compost products (Magic Mitti), upcycled goods (Neki aur Pooch Pooch pet toys), and research reports/publications funded through donations, grants, and institutional partnerships.
Product overview
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group operates as an environmental advocacy and research organization rather than a technology company. Its offerings include publications such as ON AIR (India's First Bilingual Webzine on Air Quality) and The Chintan Chats podcast; material recovery facilities (MRFs) at IIT-Delhi and Zakhira; branded products like Magic Mitti compost; research reports including A Seat at the Table, Paryavaran Saathi, Santulan, and Baseline/Endline Reports; and educational programs like Training Modules for Informal Sector Waste Recyclers, Chintan Learning Centres, Safai Sena, Climate Sakhi, and the Neki aur Pooch Pooch upcycled pet toys. These offerings work together to advance circular economy, waste management, climate education, and social equity for waste picker communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ON AIR: India's First Bilingual Webzine on Air Quality - a publication covering air quality issues
- Chintan Chats
- Magic Mitti
- Safai Sena
Products and services
- Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Services Contracted waste processing and recovery services delivered through Material Recovery Facilities that sort, compost, and divert waste from landfills. The IIT-Delhi MRF (est. January 2019) and Zakhira MRF (Delhi's most advanced facility) are operated for municipal partners (NDMC), academic partners (IIT Delhi), and corporate EPR partners (Coca-Cola India), and integrate informal wastepickers into formal operations.
- Magic Mitti Enriched Compost Branded enriched compost product produced by women wastepicker entrepreneurs trained by Chintan from wet waste processed at the organization's MRFs. Sold to gardeners, urban farmers, and institutional buyers as a livelihood-generating green product, with quality controls to keep toxic materials out.
- Neki aur Pooch Pooch Plastic-free pet toys hand-made by women waste workers as an income-generation and micro-entrepreneurship product line. Sold to consumers seeking sustainable pet products, with revenue supporting livelihood creation in Chintan's waste picker communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 984 tons of waste diverted from landfills per year at IIT-Delhi MRF
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IIT DelhicoreChintan partnered with IIT Delhi to establish a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in January 2019, with the goal of creating a Zero Waste campus. The facility composts organic waste and diverts recyclable materials from landfills, saving 984 tons of waste annually. The partnership also provides dignified livelihood opportunities for waste workers.
- North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC)coreNDMC partnered with Chintan to work with 1048 wastepickers in a decentralized waste management system. NDMC handed over managerial responsibilities to Chintan for the betterment of wastepickers, enabling formal inclusion of informal sector workers.
- The Incubation NetworkminorChintan partnered with The Incubation Network for the Santulan project, which examined gendered aspects of managing waste with focus on women wastepickers in India, producing recommendations for equal economic opportunity and safe workspace.
- Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)minorChintan partnered with FES to organize a series of webinars on repair economy and circular economy transition from October to December 2020, exploring equitable and inclusive environmental solutions.
- High Commission of Canada in IndiaminorCo-developed the 'Pollution Ka Solution' report with the High Commission of Canada in India, outlining five interlinked strategies to address Delhi's air pollution crisis with focus on public health and institutional strengthening.
- SwachhminorChintan works with Swachh organization to formally include waste workers in urban solid waste management systems, focusing on recognition, rights, and occupational health.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hasiru Dala: Indian non-profit working with wastepicker communities in Bengaluru on waste management, livelihoods, and advocacy. Closely comparable to Chintan in mission, beneficiary community, and operations model of integrating informal sector into formal waste systems.
- Toxics Link: India-based environmental NGO focused on e-waste, toxics, and waste policy research and advocacy. Comparable to Chintan's research-and-advocacy approach on electronic waste management and policy influence.
- Plastics for Change: India-based social enterprise that sources recyclable plastic from wastepickers for global brands, combining livelihoods with plastic recovery. Comparable to Chintan's EPR integration and wastepicker-centered plastic recovery work.
- Waste Pickers Foundation of India: National-level network advocating for wastepicker rights, social security, and integration into EPR frameworks across India. Closely aligned with Chintan's Safai Sena and wastepicker inclusion advocacy work.
- Saahas Waste Management: India-based waste management non-profit operating MRFs, composting, and source segregation programs with urban local bodies. Direct peer in operating waste processing infrastructure and partnering with municipalities.
Emerging players
- Kabadiwalla Connect: India-based waste management company using technology to formalize informal waste supply chains. Comparable to Chintan in addressing informal sector integration but uses a more tech-enabled commercial model.
- Nepra Resource Management: Indian waste management company operating MRFs and composting facilities in multiple cities, working with municipal bodies. Comparable to Chintan's MRF operations but operates as a for-profit social enterprise.
Regional players
- Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA): Large Indian trade union organizing informal women workers, including wastepickers, for social security and livelihoods. Comparable to Chintan's women wastepicker empowerment and Magic Mitti entrepreneurship programs.
Broad incumbents
- Waste Management, Inc. Largest US waste services company offering collection, recycling, and disposal at national scale. Provides a global benchmark for waste management infrastructure that Chintan's MRF model operates at a smaller, community-embedded scale.
- Centre for Science and Environment (CSE): Established Indian think tank working on air pollution, waste, and environmental policy. Larger and broader than Chintan but overlapping on air quality research (ON AIR webzine parallels CSE's Down To Earth) and policy advocacy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group social profiles
Digital presenceChintan Environmental Research and Action Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
What does Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group do?
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is a nonprofit environmental organization that operates Material Recovery Facilities, delivers climate and waste-management education programs, conducts policy research on circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility, and runs community-based green livelihood programs for waste picker communities in Delhi NCR. Its deliverables include contracted MRF services (IIT-Delhi and Zakhira facilities), branded compost products (Magic Mitti), upcycled goods (Neki aur Pooch Pooch pet toys), and research reports/publications funded through donations, grants, and institutional partnerships.
Is Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group a public or private company?
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group founded?
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group based?
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hasiru Dala, Toxics Link, Plastics for Change, Waste Pickers Foundation of India and Saahas Waste Management. Emerging players are Kabadiwalla Connect and Nepra Resource Management. Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Waste Management, Inc. and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Does Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group.
What industry is Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group in?
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group's product category is Environmental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAJAK, Waste & Hazardous Materials Management (incl. HazMat), with a secondary code of EUAIAAAO, Organics (Food/Yard) Collection (Residential & Commercial). Its NAICS code is 5621 and its SIC code is 4953.