Coimbatore trial turns invasive water hyacinth into mulch for farmers

A Coimbatore-based waste management company has launched a trial project to convert water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic weed, into mulching material. The initiative aims to address the environmental threat posed by the plant while providing a useful product for agriculture.

Recompose Recycling Private Limited, in collaboration with WWF-India and Noyyalaaru Trust, conducted the first trial at Sulur Big Tank on Saturday. Workers collected water hyacinths from the tank and shredded them on-site using a machine, in the presence of Sulur MLA N.M. Sukumar.

Water hyacinth is a fast-growing plant that chokes water bodies, depletes oxygen, and harms aquatic life. Local bodies and governments spend significant sums each year to remove it, often using excavators and dumping the weed on vacant land. This trial proposes a more productive use.

C. Prashanth, one of the founders of Recompose Recycling Private Limited, said the shredded hyacinth can serve as an effective mulching material. “It is especially useful for coconut farmers, as it can reduce the amount of water needed for irrigation. It can also help the Highways Department lower the cost of watering roadside plants. Over time, the material turns into organic manure,” he explained.

The company estimates that a single shredder machine can process five to eight tonnes of water hyacinth per day. Plans are also underway to produce briquettes from the plant for use as fuel or compost.

Mr. Prashanth added that samples of the shredded material have been sent to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for laboratory testing. The tests will assess its effectiveness as a mulch and as a raw material for organic manure. The results will help determine the viability of scaling up the project.

Mr. Sukumar, the local MLA, has assured the team of support in obtaining the necessary approvals to expand the initiative. The project reflects a practical approach to managing an invasive species while creating value from waste.

Environmental experts have long called for sustainable methods to control water hyacinth. This trial, if successful, could offer a model for other regions facing similar challenges.