About Daily Dump

In a rapidly urbanizing India, the bustling cities were facing an alarming issue – a mountain of waste. The average Indian family of four produced a staggering 2.2 kilograms of waste each day, contributing to a growing environmental crisis. Poonam Bir Kasturi, a visionary entrepreneur, saw an opportunity amidst this challenge. She believed that if 60 percent of this waste was organic material, it could be transformed into nutrient-rich compost right in people's homes.

Poonam's journey began in 2006 when she introduced a groundbreaking innovation to Indian urban spaces – Daily Dump, India's first home composter. Little did she know that she was laying the foundation for a trash-to-treasure story that would change the way people thought about waste.

"It is definitely easier to throw the waste out. But if you can convert it to useful and fertile ‘stench-free’ compost without much hassle, why not?" Poonam's vision was clear. She wanted to reduce daily garbage output by a staggering 80 percent. Daily Dump's products and services, all designed and built in-house, offered pioneering solutions for decentralized waste management in homes, communities, offices, and public spaces.

The heart of their initiative was the signature terracotta 'Kambha,' which became a symbol of pride in customers' homes. Additionally, they introduced 'Aaga,' India's first hot pile composter for communities, which didn't rely on electricity and could be easily managed by urban apartment complexes for decentralized composting.

But innovation wasn't limited to just products. Daily Dump also embraced modern technology to connect with its customers. They established a dedicated WhatsApp number, enabling customers from across the globe to connect for queries, support, and information. Through WhatsApp Business, they interacted with around 50 customers daily, even reaching individuals in countries like the US, Dubai, and Australia.

Poonam highlighted the critical role of WhatsApp in their business: "In our business, this is critical. If a customer fails at their first attempt at composting, they will never get back to it." The app's features, including timings and location maps, made it easier for customers to find answers and locate assistance.

A decade ago, discussions on waste segregation and composting were confined to niche segments of society. Today, with 60,000 customers on board, Daily Dump had not only saved over 50,000 kilograms of organic waste daily but also brought waste composting into the mainstream.

Daily Dump's success was rooted in its mission to change mindsets and behaviors surrounding waste. They were a design-led company that employed innovative design thinking to imagine alternative scenarios for behavior change. Their objective was clear – reduce waste, improve material recovery, and create better livelihoods, all through the collective action of urban citizens.

Poonam and her team celebrated the heroes of their movement – the potters, the gardeners, the householders, the organizations, the 'recycle gurus,' the children – everyone contributing to making India and the Earth a cleaner, greener, and sustainable place to live. Their vision aligned with the nation's call for a 'Swacch Bharat' (clean India), a movement embraced by millions.

Daily Dump's journey was not just about Poonam; it was about the collective effort of countless individuals shaping the future. It was a dedication to everyone who wished to make a difference in their world, one compost bin at a time.

As cities continued to grow and waste continued to pile up, Daily Dump stood as a shining example of how a simple idea, combined with innovation and determination, could transform trash into treasure, leading India on its path to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.