The growing population, increasing urbanisation, and changing consumption patterns have significantly increased waste generation over the past few decades throughout the world. Efforts to minimise waste streams have led to large-scale organic waste recycling through composting. Whilst the composting process converts organic wastes into biologically stable compost, a massive quantity of leachate is also produced. The leachate composition is generally variable and may possess environmentally harmful substances at significantly higher concentrations that may pose a risk to the environment following direct disposal. This study aims to characterise the nature of leachates from six organic waste processing plants in Bengaluru. The findings reveal that leachates from these sites are in the early acidic phase with pH ranging between 3.8 and 5, highly variable in composition with high levels of COD averaging at 97,169 mg/L and BOD averaging at 55,107 mg/L, suggesting significant organic contamination. Additionally, nutrient levels such as ammonium, phosphorus, and dissolved salts are notably high. Heavy metal concentration averages 0.3, 0.1, 0.6, and 0.7 mg/L for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni), respectively. Some samples exceeded the regulatory thresholds of 0.01, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/L for Cd, Cr, and Ni, respectively, raising concerns about potential leachate impacts on soil and groundwater. This study provides crucial discernment into the composition of leachates and their potential environmental implications for planning and better management.