Keralam’s Kattappana municipality calls ‘Spider-Man’ into action to raise awareness about waste management
The Kattappana municipality in Kerala has turned a public space into a pop‑culture showcase, installing a 12‑foot Spider‑Man figure built entirely from discarded plastic bottles.
The sculpture is part of the Waste to Art program, a collaboration between the municipal authorities and the Suchitwa Mission. Designer Rajeev Chellanam assembled roughly 5,000 bottles over two weeks, with a modest grant of ₹1 lakh.
Local children are drawn to the bright, familiar silhouette, prompting spontaneous questions about its composition and sparking conversations about recycling. Officials plan to follow the installation with workshops that let students create their own bottle‑based artworks.
Beyond the visual appeal, the project aims to shift attitudes toward single‑use plastic that piles up in the town’s waste stream. By turning litter into a landmark that people photograph and share, the municipality hopes to inspire a cleaner, more mindful community.