This Kashmiri Engineer Turned One Compost Pit into a Rs 80 Lakh Waste Model for 4000 Homes

“Be it plastic, biodegradable waste or polythene — I saw how it was degrading our environment.”

On a cold winter morning in Kulgam, South Kashmir, Mohammad Aamir Khan stood beside a roadside heap of uncollected garbage. It wasn’t the first time he had seen plastic and food waste rotting in the open — but something about that moment stayed with him. It was the kind of quiet discomfort that grows inside you until you decide you can no longer ignore it.

Years later, this very discomfort would drive Aamir to start a movement—one that turns trash into jobs, plastic into thread, and waste into wealth.

At just 30, Aamir has emerged as one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most innovative environmental entrepreneurs. From composting biodegradable waste to building a website that sells recycled plastic, his efforts are reshaping how rural communities view waste. More than 4,000 households are now part of his decentralised waste management model. Farmers are using his compost. Locals are earning money from discarded plastic. And people across South Kashmir are realising that sustainability can begin right at their doorstep.

But this story, like most that matter, begins long before the compost piles and government MoUs. It starts with a student, a setback, and an idea that wouldn't let go.

From civil services dreams to a mission for sustainability

Aamir grew up in Agroo Devsar, a village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. After earning his engineering degree from a college in Bangalore in 2017, he set his sights on the UPSC Civil Services Examination — a dream that many young Indians chase with fierce determination.

“I could not clear it by a narrow margin,” he says. “But what I gained from the preparation was much more than just exam knowledge. It gave me deep insight into environment-related issues and instilled in me a desire to work for sustainability.”

Even as he studied, Aamir found himself increasingly disturbed by what he saw around him. Uncollected household waste, polythene bags clogging drains, plastic littering the streets — it was everywhere.

“Be it plastic, biodegradable waste or polythene — I saw how it was degrading our environment,” he recalls. “I became obsessed with understanding how other parts of the world managed waste and what solutions could work in our local context.”

While others looked away, Aamir leaned in. He began to read about grassroots models, composting systems, and decentralised waste collection. The seed of an idea had been planted — one that would slowly take root in the years to come.

A fellowship that changed everything

In 2022, while scrolling through social media, Aamir came across a fellowship opportunity under the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U). It called for proposals centred on sustainable, ground-level solutions — and Aamir, now deeply committed to tackling waste, decided to apply.

His idea was clear: a decentralised, locally-run model for biodegradable waste conversion and rural waste management, designed specifically for the realities of Kashmir.

His proposal was selected.

Over the next nine months, Aamir underwent rigorous training — three months in the United States and six months of online mentorship. “It was a transformative experience. I learnt leadership, execution strategies, and how to scale up grassroots innovations. It gave me the confidence to bring my ideas to life,” he shares.

Armed with new skills and a sharpened vision, Aamir returned home, ready to take the plunge.

Starting from scratch in Zahipora

In 2023, Aamir began building his first waste-to-resource unit on a piece of land he owned in Zahipora, Kulgam. It was a simple but powerful beginning — a composting unit designed to convert biodegradable household waste into organic fertiliser.

“We demonstrated our composting model to Jammu and Kashmir’s Rural Development Department,” he says. “We showed them how biodegradable waste could be processed locally, in a cost-effective and community-friendly way.”

Impressed by the results, the department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aamir’s team. Soon, the initiative was operational across four blocks of Kulgam district — Kulgam, Qaimoh, Pahloo, and Pombay — covering over 2,500 households. It later expanded to Anantnag and Bijbehara, adding 1,500 more households.

Government support made a big difference. “They helped with transportation — collecting waste from doorsteps and bringing it to our unit, free of cost,” Aamir explains.

The compost, once processed, was branded and sold in the market as 'Green Wave' — a name that captured both the ecological intent and the local roots of the product.

From compost to clicks — going digital with plastic waste

In 2024, Aamir took another leap — this time into plastic recycling, and with it, the digital world.

He launched a plastic recycling unit in Chahkpora, Kulgam, and simultaneously rolled out an e-commerce platform: www.wastetohealth.co

“Users create an account, upload pictures of their plastic or aluminium waste, and we collect it from their homes,” he explains. “We recycle the materials into granular flakes, which are then sold to industries making pipes, furniture, and other products.”

Unlike traditional waste collection methods, this platform gave people a clear incentive to separate their waste — and a way to earn from it. As word spread, environmentally conscious households and small industrial buyers began joining the platform.

According to Aamir, demand has been growing steadily. “We get a large number of buyers through our website, and with each passing day, more people are learning about this product.”

The platform wasn’t just a marketplace — it was an ecosystem. One that connected people to a cleaner lifestyle, bit by bit, transaction by transaction.

The polythene problem — and a craft-based solution

Polythene waste posed a different kind of challenge. It was thin, stubborn, and widely considered non-recyclable in most local systems. But Aamir wasn’t ready to give up on it.

In 2025, he and his team developed a process to transform polythene into thread — a material that could then be woven into eco-friendly bags and chadars using traditional handlooms.

“Polythene has no resale or recycling value in traditional markets. We innovated a way to integrate it into the local handicrafts sector,” Aamir says. “We hired skilled trainers to teach people how to turn waste into beautiful, useful products.”

The handmade bags and chadars were first introduced during the Amarnath yatra(pilgrimage), where they drew attention for their vibrant design and environmental value. Since then, the products have gradually made their way into the local market.

Each item told a layered story — one of waste, reinvention, and artistry.

Selling waste, buying change — how the market responded

One of the most promising outcomes of Aamir’s work has been the shift in how people view waste — not as a burden, but as a resource.

“All these products are available in the market. We have a team that markets them,” he shares. Compost is sold directly to farmers and shopkeepers across South Kashmir, and its demand has remained steady. Plastic waste, collected through the e-commerce platform, finds buyers in industrial sectors. The chadars, though a newer addition, were well-received during the Amarnath Yatra and have begun entering local bazaars.

Javid Ahmad, a 28-year-old from Bijbehara, is among the many locals who’ve seen the ripple effect of Aamir’s model.

“Firstly, he has inspired many by showing that nothing goes to waste in this world — we can convert waste into eco-friendly products and create livelihood opportunities for others,” Javid says.

He adds that people in his area now think twice before throwing away plastic. “We know we can earn money for used plastic which many would otherwise throw on the roads. Recently, we also sold plastic on this e-commerce website and got good value for it.”

The compost, too, has left a mark. “Locally-made fertiliser is far better than the one brought from outside. This compost costs less as it is produced here itself,” he says.

For many, the economic benefit has been as tangible as the environmental one.

Jobs, challenges, and the will to keep going

Behind every recycled product and compost bag is a team of people — machine operators, composting specialists, logistics handlers, artisans, and e-commerce staff — all working together toward one goal: reducing waste, restoring dignity.

Aamir’s initiative has created employment for over 25 people, both skilled and unskilled. But the road hasn’t been smooth.

“In Kashmir, any new initiative comes with many challenges,” Aamir reflects. “When we started this venture, J&K had just gone through prolonged shutdowns after August 5, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Uncertainty was constant. “Once you invest, you don’t know how things will turn out or how you’re going to execute your plan. So far, by God’s grace, things have gone our way.”

What helped, he says, was staying rooted in community and committed to the mission. Every sale, every new household joining the platform, became a step forward — proof that people were willing to support something that felt both local and meaningful.

Slowly, the numbers started to speak

As word spread and more households came onboard, the numbers began to reflect the impact.

“Last year, our revenue was Rs 50 lakh,” Aamir shares. “This year, we’ve already clocked Rs 80 lakh.” The figure includes income from compost sales, plastic recycling, and chadar production — a sign that the model is working, and growing.

But for Aamir, the numbers tell only part of the story.

“I come from a farmer’s family. I have seen how environmental degradation affects not just land but livelihoods too,” he says. “My mission is to build a zero-waste ecosystem in Kashmir that is sustainable, inclusive, and scalable.”

It’s this larger vision that fuels his next steps — expanding operations to more districts and developing a mobile app that digitises waste tracking and logistics.

The idea is simple: make sustainability accessible, accountable, and embedded into everyday life.

A letter from Clinton — and the road ahead

In January 2024, Aamir received an unexpected envelope — a personal letter from former US President William Jefferson Clinton.

It was a note of appreciation for his role as a mentor in the Clinton Global Initiative University.

“As a commitment mentor for the CGI U Class of 2023, you played a crucial role in empowering our student leaders, helping them turn their ideas into action and guiding them towards the resources they need to make a difference in their communities across the country and around the world. I am grateful for your leadership and dedication,” Clinton wrote.

For Aamir, the letter wasn’t just an honour — it was a reminder of what quiet persistence can build.

From compost heaps to recycled thread, from a backyard unit in Zahipora to a growing network of eco-solutions across Kashmir, his journey is still unfolding.

The road ahead is long. But Aamir walks it with clarity.

“We’ve shown that it’s possible,” he says. “Now, the goal is to reach more people, create more jobs, and prove that sustainability isn’t a dream. It’s already happening — here, in our homes, with our waste.”