In March 2023, a huge fire broke out at the Brahmapuram landfill, which stored waste from Kochi and nearby areas. The fire burned for days, raising questions about Kerala's waste management. Following this, the state launched the Malinya Mukhtham Navakeralam campaign to improve waste handling. Laws were changed to make door-to-door waste collection by the Haritha Karma Sena mandatory. The collection rate jumped from less than 50% to nearly 90% in one year. The government cleared 59 old waste dumps covering 127 acres, removing 19.13 lakh tonnes of waste. One cleared site in Thrissur became a sports complex named after I. M. Vijayan. A ₹310-crore bio-park project started at Brahmapuram as part of a master plan. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala criticized the government, calling their claims "absolutely incorrect" and saying waste disposal is still poor. He added that local bodies lacked sufficient funding to manage waste fully. The Local Self-Governments Minister M.B. Rajesh countered that opposition parties avoid waste topics because the government has made strong progress. He noted 98.5% door-to-door collection of non-biodegradable waste and new compressed biogas and refuse-derived fuel plants starting soon. Handling liquid waste and reducing litter remains a challenge. The government faces local protests against new waste facilities, like the opposition to a sewage treatment plant in Kozhikode. Successful operations at a Thiruvananthapuram STP offer a model to copy. Earlier this year, a small fire at Brahmapuram reminded everyone that waste management needs constant care. With local bodies taking charge soon, their waste management duties are vital.