Two Cr+6 reducing bacterial strains previously isolated from tannery effluents were used in the present study and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rb-1 and Ochrobacterum intermedium (Rb-2) by 16S rRNA sequencing. Different biowaste materials (waste tea leaves, carrot juice pulp, dry leaves of eucalyptus and rice husk) were assessed for sorption / removal of Cr +6 from aqueous solution of K 2 Cr 2 O 4 . Feasibility of mono and mixed cultures of indigenous bacterial strains was evaluated for Cr +6 removal in conjunction with different biowaste materials. Among all tested biowastes materials, waste tea leaves showed optimum removal of Cr +6 from metal solution alone (77.1%) as well as in combination with bacterial strains (99.4%) after 720 minutes of contact time. Mixed culture of bacterial strains was found to be more efficient in Cr +6 removal than monoculture. The contact time of 720 minutes, pH 7, biomass concentration of 2.5 gram 100 mL -1 , 37˚C and shaking speed of 100 rpm were found to be most optimum for optimum Cr +6 sorption alone as well as in combination with bacterial strains. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that carboxyl, amino and OH groups present on the waste tea leaves played a significant role in the binding of Cr +6 ions with the biomass. The present study is unique in this respect that this approach involve both living and non-living materials and we could not find any report documenting such findings up to our knowledge.