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Extracarbon: Digitalizing & Integrating E-Waste Management

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Gaurav Joshi,Co-Founder

Gaurav Joshi

Co-Founder

Waste management is a largely unorganized sector in India. Management of waste was made a priority by the Government impacting the landscape positively, but there is still a long way to go before the proposed ideal of‘Swachh Bharat’ could be achieved. When viewed from a global perspective, Indian waste management sector has its contrasts as people explore ways to attain monetary benefit from the e-waste instead of degrading them through eco-friendly processes. Their reluctance to classify a used item as e-waste also creates a distinction that the companies in this sector have to address. Consequently, the companies that utilized foreign modus operandi in e-waste management (with focus on compliances and eco-friendly processing) with impeccable auditing processes have failed in India as they were not cognizant of the Indian mindset.Nevertheless, the segment’s pronounced weakness is its inefficient collection methods to procure e-waste.

Extra carbon, a Gurgaon based on demand kabadiwala,is clearing a scarcely traversed path through conception and implementation of the ‘online kabadiwala’idea. By desegregating kabadiwalas(Green
Superheroes GSH, as the company prefers to address them),Extracarbon aims to cater to at least one percent of the total viable market. The company appeases its clients by subjecting the waste to the right processes,reducing it to zero and offering them a value while eliminating hazardous waste from their premises. The GSHs who are trained and assisted financially are essentially micro-independent,andthey leverage the company as a way to generate leads.

The GSHs are relieved from their obligation of having to pay for the waste in cash as the users are paid in Jhoomley credits which can be used for online shopping or on other portals


Jhoomley Credit, the company’s payment mechanism (redeemable on the company website, Paytm, or Free charge) gratifies all the stakeholders in the e-waste collection process. The GSHs are relieved from their obligation of having to pay for the waste in cash (borrowed from loan sharks at high interest) as the users are paid in Jhoomley credits which can be used for online shopping or on other portals.Items to be sold can receive multiple quotes from numerous stakeholders including the GSHs,and are collected if the customer accepts the quote. These services can be availed through the company’s dedicated application, website, Facebook or Whats App. Focused on
e-waste collection, Extra carbon has no compliances or licenses of its own; but its collaboration with the recyclers enable them certify every procurement or register the transaction in the Pollution Control Board license book,the details of which are shared with the client.

Over the Years
The name ‘Extracarbon’reflects the company’s original notion to trim down carbon emissions wherever they exceeded limits. But as that would require up gradation of the company’s facilities and scope to a great extent, Extracarbon is focused on waste management at the grassroots level presently. Having been through the struggle to acquire committed employees, the company champions the institution of an academic segment by the Government that would directly cater to the waste management sector. Now the team of 39 is engaged in the process of educating the fraternity about the need and subtleties of waste management. The Green Superhero network is also made aware of more efficient ways of deriving value out of the materials that they collect. To help retailers quantify the value of used electronic products that they acquire, Extracarbon is coming up with functionalities where the value can be stipulated by entering the IMEI and model number of the device into the application.

Owing to its organized way of operation,demonetization has given the company an upturn by tripling its revenue despite the slow down that the reform has dealt on its competitors. The recent reform of GST is also predicted to revitalize Extra carbonas organizations would be motivated to tie up their operations with organized entities.