Over nine tonnes of plastic waste has been successfully removed from Vellingiri Hills during the ongoing pilgrimage season, a collaborative effort involving the Forest Department, volunteers from the NGO Velliangiri Malai Pathukappu Amaippu, and Recompose Recycling Private Limited. The waste collection campaign lasted for 64 days, focusing on educating pilgrims about responsible waste disposal. The Forest Department's staff actively collects plastic items like packaged drinking water bottles and polythene bags from devotees before they begin their trek. Each plastic item incurs a charge of ₹20, which is refunded when the items are returned. C. Prashanth, co-founder of Recompose Recycling, reported that a total of 9,110 kg of plastic waste was collected. Items that could not be recycled due to soil contamination were sent to cement factories as refuse-derived fuel. Additionally, multi-layer plastics are transformed into value-added products such as chairs and tables, which are then provided to the Forest Department. This initiative not only aims to keep the pilgrimage area clean but also promotes sustainable waste management practices among visitors.