Veena HD

Indian environmental engineer who pioneered plastic recycling innovations in informal settlements

Veena HD is a civil engineer from Bangalore whose work with informal waste pickers has transformed India's plastic recycling landscape. Starting in 2005, she developed the Kabadiwalla Connect system that organized India's unregulated scrap trade into efficient recycling networks. This model, now replicated in 20 cities, ensures 90% of collected plastic is properly processed instead of landfilled.

Her Kabadi Maps digital platform connects 15,000+ waste workers with formal recyclers, improving incomes by 40%. Veena's Plastic to Asphalt initiative converts unrecyclable waste into road paving material, with 200km of roads built using this technology across Tamil Nadu.

Recipient of the 2019 Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) award, her work bridges environmental sustainability and social equity. She co-founded the WastePreneurs Collective, providing microloans to 500+ waste workers to start recycling businesses. Current projects include a blockchain-based tracking system for recycled materials, ensuring transparency in supply chains. Her TED talk 'Turning Trash into Treasure' has become a blueprint for circular economy initiatives globally.