scrap collectors

From an old laptop to India’s most advanced recycling plant — this is the story of Attero, a homegrown startup transforming e-waste into gold, lithium, and opportunity. With platforms like Selsmart and MetalMandi, they’re not just fixing our junk problem — they’re building a circular economy that puts people and the planet first.

Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), a union of scrap collectors started by Dr Baba Adhav in 1993, has now become a force much larger than just a collection of waste pickers, mostly women. It serves as a platform for voicing grievances and as a medium for pushing developmental programmes to this highly marginalised segment of the society. From financial support, education and insurance facilities to intangibles like dignity of labour and quality of life, read how a collective can change lives.